Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather
by Dozo14
Summary: While hosting a party at P3, Penny saves the son of a wealthy businessman from a demonic attack and ends up falling for his charms. Meanwhile, Chris uncovers a supernatural power struggle between two family businesses and comes face-to-face with a familar yet deadly assassin.
1. Chapter 1

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Xxx

San Francisco, 2001.

In a small cubicle in an office building, twenty-eight year old John Henson was working late on a report for his boss. It was the third night that week he was working late. As he checked his phone, he noticed six missed calls from his girlfriend. They were supposed to have a date night, but John had to finish this report in time if he ever wanted to get promoted. She would have to wait, as she did not matter as much as his career. That was the only thing keeping him going at the moment, the dream that he would one day be at the top of the food chain. He was about to finish the report when suddenly his computer crashed.

"No, no, you have got to be kidding me." John called out. "Come on, you worthless piece of trash."

John angrily slammed on the computer, but it didn't help. All the work he had done this evening was probably gone. If he did not finish in time, he would be fired and his dream was over. He got up to grab a cup of coffee, though he stopped when he felt a slight tremble in the building. He initially thought it was an earthquake, though he quickly realized it was something else when flames rose up in front of him. A creature with blue skin and horns appeared before him. John screamed and fell back on the floor.

"Good evening, John Henson." The creature said.

"Who? What are you?" John asked scared.

"A businessman like yourself." The creature replied. "Or more accurately, a business demon."

"This isn't real. This has to be a practical joke." John said.

"No, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity." The demon corrected him. "I have seen you, John, and your potential. You can achieve great things with the right help."

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"I'm an investor of sorts." The demon replied. "I can offer you the means to make your dreams come true in exchange for a price."

"What price?" John asked.

"Your immortal soul." The demon said in a deep voice, causing flames to briefly appear in his eyes. "In thirty years, I will come to collect, but in that time, you will become more successful that you could have ever dreamed."

"Thirty years?" John repeated.

"Time enough to build your career, start a family, live life to the fullest." The demon said. "Make the deal and you will find that every decision you make shall lead to success. You can start your own business and rise to the top of the chain."

"Alright." John replied. "I accept."

The demon smiled and held out his hand, causing a parchment and a quill to appear in flames. John hesitated for a moment. The demon frightened him, but he did not believe in souls anyway. Besides, he wouldn't have to worry about it for another thirty years. This was the opportunity he needed to make something of himself. He grabbed the quill and signed on the dotted line. Once he had signed, the parchment disappeared.

"Smart choice." The demon said. "Allow me to introduce my assistant."

The demon snapped his finger and a young woman appeared through a whirl of wind. She was a beautiful brunette with a slender figure in a revealing gold silk gown.

"This is Karliah, an oracle." The demon explained. "She will serve you when you seek advice concerning the future. Use her powers wisely."

"A pleasure to meet you." Karliah said.

"You can see the future?" John asked.

"To an extent." Karliah replied. "Not everything is set in stone. Every action can cause it to change."

"We must leave now, but you can summon Karliah whenever you wish by calling her name." The demon said. "We, John, shall not meet again until it is time for me to collect your soul."

The demon disappeared through flames and Karliah followed him through a gust of wind. John fell down in a desk chair. Had he really just sold his soul to the devil, or was it all a stress-induced dream and would he soon wake up? He slapped and pinched himself to make sure he was awake. It was real, which meant that all his hard work would finally pay off. He would finally achieve his dream and live the life he had always wanted.

Xxx

San Francisco, 2029.

In a penthouse office, fifty-six year old John Henson was working late on a business deal. While he was still making long nights, everything else had changed. He was now the owner and CEO of Henson Holdings, his own multi-million dollar company that had international dealings. After his deal with the devil that fateful night, he was one of the richest men in the city. From the outside, it looked like he had everything he could ever desire. However, time was starting to catch up to him. Twenty-eight years had passed, meaning that he only had two years left before his soul would be claimed by the blue horned demon.

To become successful, he had done things that could never see the light of day. Those things had taken a toll. His wife had died years ago because of him and his son was practically a stranger. In an effort to get closer to his son, he had offered him a job. He wanted to groom his son to take over the company, so that all his sacrifices would have meaning. His phone buzzed and John saw his son was calling. He had forgotten that he had organized a party for the employees to celebrate a recent merger. As the CEO, he was expected to make an appearance.

"Theo." John said as he answered the phone. "I'm sorry. Something came up at the office. You do the speech instead of me."

John ended the call and resumed working. He knew his son would be disappointed, but this couldn't wait. Their biggest competition, Wahlstrom International, was trying to poach a client they could not afford to lose. He didn't care about the money, but the company would lose face, which John felt was unacceptable.

"May I be seen?" A sultry voice asked.

"Of course." John replied.

A small whirlwind formed before him and Karliah appeared, wearing a blue dress. Aside from a change in clothes, she had not changed at all in the past decades, the perks of immortality. She had proven to be a valuable asset over the years, though he had always been careful not to overuse her abilities.

"Working late as usual, I see." Karliah noted as she sat on the desk. "You should really start enjoying life a bit more, John. It's over before you know it."

"I'm perfectly aware of how much time I have left." John remarked slightly annoyed. "Why are you here?"

"I saw something you should know." Karliah replied. "Someone is making a move against you. Your son is in danger."

"What?" John asked worried. "Tell me."

"It seems you're not the only one in the business world relying on demonic assistance." Karliah said. "I foresaw an attack on your son by demons."

"Who is it? Can you stop them?" John asked.

"I have not been able to see the one responsible yet, but I'm working on it." Karliah replied. "Meanwhile, I called in a favor and sent someone to protect him."

"I have to go there." John said as he rose from his chair.

"No, you'll only put yourself in danger." Karliah replied. "That might be exactly what they want. You have to trust me on this. I have it handled."

John hesitated, but eventually sat back down in his chair. The oracle was right, he could not endanger himself or the company. He would just have to trust her, as he had done many times in the past.

Xxx

Across the city, Penny Halliwell was standing behind the bar of P3, pouring champagne glasses. She was dressed in a black top with a silver vest and leather pants. The club was filled with suits, as a company called Henson Holdings had hired the club as a venue for a cooperate party. It was good business and Penny really needed the money, as things were not going as well as she had hoped. The last couple of weeks had been hard on the club and she was barely getting by. Running a successful nightclub was not as easy as she had first expected. On top of everything, Dominik had called in sick, leaving her short one bartender. She needed tonight to be a success.

"The table in the corner wants another bottle." Faye said as she stepped behind the bar.

"Got it, can you manage the bar while I restock the fridge?" Penny asked.

"Yeah, sure." Faye replied. "Things are pretty hectic. These suits know how to party."

"Well, I would do the same if the boss was paying." Penny remarked.

"Oh my god!" Faye called out as she grabbed Penny's arms. "Penny, a total hunk is coming this way."

Penny looked over her shoulder. When she saw the hunk Faye was referring to, she realized she wasn't kidding. The guy was absolutely gorgeous, tall and muscular, with olive skin and dark brown hair. He wore an expensive suit that showed off his physique. Penny quickly reminded herself to be professional and walked over to him.

"Hi, can I get you anything?" Penny asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for the manager, Penny." The hunk replied. "We spoke on the phone."

"I'm Penny." Penny said. "Wait, you booked the club? You're Mr. Henson?"

Penny was shocked, as she had expected a boring businessman with a receding hairline to be the one throwing the party. This guy did not seem old enough to be in charge of a such a huge company, as he only appeared a little older than Penny herself.

"Were you expecting someone else?" The hunk remarked with a smile, obviously picking up on her surprise. "Mr. Henson is my father. I'm Theo."

"Sorry." Penny quickly said. "I guess I shouldn't judge a book by its shiny cover."

"Thanks. To be honest, you're not what I expected either." Theo said. "You run this club?"

"It's an old family business." Penny said. "But I am the manager, yes."

"Impressive, must take a lot of hard work." Theo noted. "Just so you know, I only got this job because my dad owns the company. I just started working there."

"And already in charge of the party planning?" Penny remarked. "Nice work."

"Stick by what you know, right?" Theo replied. "Actually, the party was my idea. Everyone worked hard on the merger and I figured everyone deserved a night out."

"You'll make a good boss." Penny said. "So what can I do for you?"

"My father was supposed to give a speech to thank everyone for their hard work, but he is stuck at the office as usual." Theo said with some distain. "Can you turn down the music and get me a microphone so I can thank them instead?"

"Of course." Penny said.

Theo smiled as Penny offered him a microphone and their hands touched for a lingering moment. As he headed to the stage, Penny signaled the DJ to turn down the music. At the same time, Faye appeared next to her.

"You should go for it." Faye said. "He's obviously into you."

"I can't hook up with a client." Penny replied. "I have to stay professional."

"Well, once the party is over, he's no longer a client." Faye remarked with a wink. "If you don't go after him, I will."

"Weren't you crushing on my cousin a little while ago?" Penny replied.

"Yeah, but that ship has obviously sailed in a different direction." Faye said. "I'm serious, if you're not making a move on that man candy, I'll sink my teeth into him."

"Just get back to work." Penny replied laughing. "That table in the corner still needs a new bottle."

Faye rolled her eyes as she grabbed a bottle and headed out. Penny resumed her own work and starting refilling the fridge behind the bar. When the music stopped, the club cheered as Theo took the stage. Penny stopped for a moment to listen in.

"I hope everyone is having a good time." Theo said. "My father was supposed to appear to say a few words, but you all know him. The work is never done. In his place, I just wanted to thank you all for your hard work on the merger."

The employees clapped and cheered as Theo went on to talk about the merger and used all kinds of business terms that Penny didn't quite understand. She instead looked at the crowd and suddenly got a bad feeling. She could faintly hear whispers in the back of her mind. It was her telepathy picking up on something. She closed her eyes and focused on the words.

" _Once he leaves the club, we strike_." A telepathic voice spoke. " _Theo Henson shall not survive this party_."

Penny opened her eyes in shock, someone was planning on killing Theo. She looked around to identify the one with the murderous thoughts, but there were too many people. It could be any of them. The thoughts were so evil that they almost felt demonic. She knew she had to do something to save Theo. She looked at the stage and saw he had just finished his speech. He reached into his pocket for his phone and headed for the stairs.

"Crap, he's leaving." Penny said.

"Well, go get him." Faye remarked as she returned to the bar. "I got things covered."

"That's not what I…" Penny started to argue. "Actually, never mind."

Penny grabbed her things and quickly ran after Theo as he was leaving the club. Once she was outside, she briefly lost sight of him and tried to find him using her powers.

" _I can't believe he didn't show up_." Theo's thoughts sounded.

Penny followed the thoughts and found Theo standing next to an expensive-looking sports car. He was on the phone with someone.

"Theo!" Penny called out.

"I'll have to call you back." Theo said on the phone and he turned to Penny. "Hey, is something wrong? Something about the bill?"

"No, I'm not here about that." Penny replied. "I don't have time to explain, but you're in danger."

"What are you talking about?" Theo asked surprised.

Before Penny had a chance to respond, a man in a suit stepped out from the shadows. Penny recognized him from the party. He held out his hand and formed a fireball, which he threw at Theo. Penny quickly grabbed him and pulled him down, causing the fireball to miss and explode against the car. The man, or actually demon, started to circle around.

"What the hell?" Theo called out.

"Stay down." Penny ordered.

"We've got interference." The demon said in an earpiece.

At that moment, three more suited demons appeared through a shimmer. When all four formed fireballs, Penny realized she was horribly outnumbered. The only way out was to run, though before she could, one of the demons exploded in flames. Penny looked up and saw a young woman in black leather standing behind the demon, wielding an athame. She had a strange mark on her left wrist, shaped like a bird.

xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 2

Xxx

At the San Francisco Memorial Hospital, Chris Halliwell was just finishing up a shift as a nurse-in-training. The last couple of weeks had been going well, as he really enjoyed the training and both his supervisors and colleagues were content. Deciding to become a nurse had been a big decision and he felt like he had made the right choice. He had been so preoccupied with his studies that he had barely thought about magic at all. It was a nice change of pace. After finishing a patient report, Chris headed to the elevator. When the doors opened, he saw Sarah standing in it.

"Hey." Chris said with a smile. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Hi. Just finished your shift?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah." Chris replied. "You?"

"Me too." Sarah said.

Chris pressed the button and the elevator doors closed. The moment they were shut, Chris and Sarah turned to each other and started kissing. They had been secretly dating ever since the night they stopped a vengeful ghost together. Since Chris was still in training, however, they decided it was best to keep it secret.

"So what are your plans tonight?" Sarah asked.

"Well, I have the manor all to myself." Chris replied. "My brother is with his boyfriend and my cousin is in LA with his parents. Maybe you can spent the night?"

"I was hoping you'd say that." Sarah said. "My roommate and her new boyfriend are driving me insane."

"Wait a minute. Are you just using me for a place to crash?" Chris asked with a smile.

"No, I'm using you for a lot of other stuff as well." Sarah replied playfully.

"I like the sound of that." Chris remarked.

They continued to kiss until they reached the right floor, at which point they stopped in case someone was in the hallway. When the door opened, Chris stepped out, but Sarah remained standing while searching her pockets.

"Shoot, I forgot my keycard." Sarah said. "I have to go get it."

"No problem. I'll wait for you by the car." Chris replied.

"Thanks, I'll be quick." Sarah said.

The elevator doors closed again and Chris headed to the changing room. He grabbed his phone and texted Wyatt to make sure the manor was free. He quickly got a reply that his brother was spending the night at Dylan's, meaning the manor was empty, since Henry Jr. was still in Los Angeles. He was staying with his parents and Laura to process what happened with Grace. It was a shock to everyone to learn what had happened to her, and they were all just slowly picking up their lives again.

Chris quickly changed out of his scrubs and into his own clothes. Tonight was the first night that Sarah would stay at the manor. He really liked her, he even started to think it could grow into something more. He had not felt that way about anyone in a long time, at least not in this lifetime.

Xxx

Outside of P3, Penny and Theo were taking cover behind a car while the mysterious woman fought the suited demons a few feet away. She flipped over a car to avoid a fireball, before forming an Energy Ball in her hand. She threw it at one of the demons, though he avoided it. She then shimmered behind them and resumed fighting. Her powers made Penny think she was probably another demon, though she was confused about why demons would fight each other.

"What the hell is going on?" Theo asked.

"Stay down and follow me." Penny replied. "I will explain later, but we first need to get out of here."

Penny checked around the car and snuck to another car with Theo behind her. When she looked up, she saw a fireball incoming and pulled Theo to the ground. The fireball grazed his arm, causing him to cry out in pain. Using the distraction, the mystery woman vanquished the demon who threw the fireball with her athame. Now there were only two left. The mystery woman fought with one in hand-to-hand combat, but the one Penny recognized from the club was nowhere to be seen.

"Found you." The demon said from behind her.

Penny turned and saw the demon forming a fireball, which he was about to throw. Penny quickly tapped into her power of hypnosis, causing her voice to echo.

"Stop moving." Penny ordered, causing the demon to freeze. "Tell me why you're after Theo."

"My boss ordered us to kill him." The demon said in a trance-like voice.

"Who is your boss?" Penny asked.

Before the demon had a chance to answer, he was struck by a fireball by his fellow demon, causing him to explode in fire. This gave the mystery woman the opportunity to vanquish the last one with an Energy Ball. Penny turned to Theo, who was holding his arm where the fireball had hit. He was lucky that the fireball had only grazed him, as a direct hit would have killed him instantly.

"You can come out now." The woman said. "I was sent here to protect him, not kill him."

"Why should I trust you?" Penny replied.

"Because I owed someone favor." The woman said. "That debt is now repaid. I have nothing to gain from killing you."

"You're a demon." Penny remarked. "Not exactly trustworthy."

"I'm not a demon." The woman replied. "Just a woman doing her job. You're welcome by the way."

Penny saw Theo moving and before she could stop him, he got up and walked over to the mystery woman. Fearing for his safety, Penny followed and got a closer look at their savior. She was an attractive, badass looking woman in a black leather suit, with long brown hair and olive skin. Penny looked at the mark on her wrist and saw it was definitely a bird. When she noticed Penny looking, the woman covered it up.

"Why were those things after me?" Theo asked.

"Don't know and don't care." The woman replied. "You should get out of here. Whoever sent those demons will learn they failed soon enough. Then they'll probably send more."

"Who are you?" Penny asked suspiciously.

"That's none of your business." The woman replied.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Theo asked confused. "Those things threw fire and exploded. We can't go to the police. I even don't understand what is going on."

"Look, I was sent to save your life, not to babysit." The woman remarked. "You have your good witch for that. My job here is done."

The woman disappeared through a shimmer. Penny got a strange feeling from her, but she didn't have time to think about it. The woman was right, more demons could come at any second and the destroyed cars would soon draw attention. She turned to Theo and saw he was freaking out, which was understandable considering what he just saw.

"Hey, we have to go." Penny said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"She called you a witch." Theo replied. "And what you did to that… demon. You forced him to stop and say those things."

"Yes, I did." Penny said. "I can explain everything, but you're in danger. And you need medical care."

"How am I supposed to trust you?" Theo asked.

"Honestly, I don't know." Penny admitted. "But I'm still the same girl from the bar. I want to help you and I have experience with these things. The cops won't believe you."

"I don't even know how to start explaining…." Theo reasoned. "They'll think I'm crazy or on drugs. I can't risk that. My father…"

"All that matters now is getting somewhere safe." Penny said. "I know a place. We can figure out what happened and someone can take care of that burn. So can you trust me?"

"I think so." Theo replied.

Xxx

In his penthouse office, John Henson was standing by the window holding a class of scotch, eagerly awaiting news about his son. He looked out over the city and hoped Theo was still alive. Behind him, Karliah sat on the desk while waving her fingers over a crystal ball filled with swirling fog. With every moment that passed, John was losing his patience. He would never describe himself as a good father, but he did love his son and wanted him to be safe.

"Anything?" John asked.

"Not yet." Karliah replied.

"Well hurry up!" John demanded.

"These things cannot be forced." Karliah remarked before her attention was drawn back to the crystal ball. "We'll have our answer soon."

Karliah looked up from the ball and a leather-clad young woman appeared in the office trough a rippling of the air. She had a look of cold determination on her face.

"Bianca." Karliah said with a smile. "It's good to see you."

"I wish I could say the same." Bianca replied. "The kid is safe."

"Where is he?" John asked.

"He is safe for now." Bianca said. "A witch is looking out for him. One of the Halliwells. He was attacked at their club."

"That could be a problem." Karliah noted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" John called out. "I want my son here, now."

"That wasn't part of my job." Bianca replied. "I owed Karliah a favor and I repaid it by saving his life. Our business is done."

"What are you? Some kind of mercenary?" John asked.

"Assassin, actually." Bianca noted and she turned around to leave. "Keeping people alive is not my usual line of work. Don't contact me again, Karliah."

"Wait." John said. "I want to hire you."

"For what?" Bianca asked with a frown as she turned to him.

"Someone targeted my son. Likely one of my rivals." John said. "I want you to find out who is behind this and kill them. I'll pay whatever price you want."

"John, are you sure about this?" Karliah asked. "The Phoenix are highly skilled, but they're not exactly cheap. We have other options."

"I want the best." John said determined. "Are you the best?"

"I am." Bianca said confidently. "I want one million. Half up front and half when the job is done."

"Deal." John replied. "I need time to move some funds around."

"You have an hour." Bianca said before disappearing through a shimmer.

"John, I'm not sure this is the best choice." Karliah said. "I have demonic contacts. The Phoenix are skilled, but they're still witches. Emotional."

"I don't care." John replied as she sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. "It's done. If she fails, we can try it your way. Now tell me about these Halliwells."

Xxx

At the Halliwell Manor, Chris and Sarah were on the couch in the middle of a steamy make-out session. There was an almost empty pizza box on the table and a movie on TV, though neither was paying any attention, as they were only focused on each other. Chris was glad he had the manor to himself, as he was finally able to take a girl home. They had gone to Sarah's apartment the last few times, though with her roommate there, they still had little privacy.

As they continued to kiss, Sarah starting to lift up his shirt and pulled it over his head. After she tossed it aside, Chris began unbuttoning her blouse while kissing her neck, causing her to giggle. He was about to take the blouse off when he suddenly heard the front door open.

"Anyone home?" Penny's voice called out.

"Who is that?" Sarah whispered as she pushed Chris off and began closing her blouse.

"My cousin." Chris replied frustrated, as his evening was obviously ruined.

Chris got up and went to collect his shirt of the floor, at which point Penny entered the living room, followed by a young man in a suit. She looked around and instantly realized she had interrupted something private.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry." Penny said. "I wouldn't have barged in if it wasn't an emergency."

"What are you doing here?" Chris asked while putting his shirt back on.

"Oh my god." Sarah said when she noticed the guy was holding his arm. "You're hurt. What happened?"

"I don't even know." The guy replied.

"Let me take a look at that." Sarah said. "Chris, do you have a first-aid kit?"

"There is one under the sink in the kitchen." Chris replied.

Sarah nodded before taking the guy by the arm and dragging him out of the room. Chris turned to his cousin and crossed his arms with a frown. She'd better have a good explanation for ruining his date.

"She's cute." Penny noted.

"What are you doing here, Penny?" Chris asked impatiently. "Ever heard of a phone?"

"Look, I'm sorry, but Theo was just attacked by demons outside of the club." Penny replied. "He got burned and I need Wyatt to heal him."

"Wyatt isn't here." Chris said. "Sarah is a nurse. I'm sure she can handle it."

"Wait, does she know about magic?" Penny asked.

"She does." Chris replied. "So what is going on?"

"That's what I need to figure out. Someone is targeting Theo, so I brought him here for safety." Penny said. "They already sent four demons, so I doubt it is over."

"Wait, how did you survive an encounter with four demons?" Chris asked with a frown.

"Okay, that question is offensive." Penny remarked. "But in all honestly, we were saved by some mystery chick in leather."

"Who was she?" Chris asked.

"I don't know, but she could shimmer and throw Energy Balls and she had this weird bird-like symbol on her wrist." Penny replied.

When Chris heard that description, something in him was triggered. A distant memory of a woman like that dying in his arms. Her name was Bianca and he vaguely remembered loving her in another time and place. When he thought about it, he could still feel the pain of her death. Could it really be the same person?

"We should check the Book of Shadows." Chris said.

"What about Theo and Sarah?" Penny asked.

"Theo can stay in Wyatt's room, but I'm not going to babysit him." Chris replied. "And I'll talk to Sarah. I don't want to put her in danger."

"Thanks." Penny said. "Sorry again for ruining your night."

"It's alright." Chris noted. "You have an innocent to help. It's what we do."

At that moment, Sarah and Theo returned from the kitchen and Chris noticed that Sarah had bandaged his arm. Penny walked over to him and took a look at his arm.

"How are you?" Penny asked.

"Honestly? Tired." Theo replied.

"You can stay here for the night." Penny said. "I'll show you to a bedroom."

Penny took Theo by the arm and led him up the stairs. Chris was surprised, as Penny had never been the caregiving type, though he figured it was probably because she liked the guy. When they were gone, Chris turned to Sarah.

"Thanks for helping out." Chris said.

"No problem." Sarah replied. "Normally I would suggest a hospital, though I doubt this is normal. You should change his bandages in the morning."

"I will." Chris said.

"So I guess I should probably go, right?" Sarah asked.

"I think it's for the best." Chris replied. "I'll make it up to you."

"You'd better." Sarah remarked with a smile.

Sarah kissed him before grabbing her coat and leaving. Chris felt bad about sending her away, not because of the demons, but because the only thing he could think about right now was Bianca. He needed to find out who she was and why she felt so important to him.

xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 3

Xxx

At the Halliwell Manor, Penny headed upstairs with Theo to show him to one of the bedrooms so he could get some much-needed rest. His suit was torn and he looked tired and pale, probably due to the burn on his arm and the shock of everything. She could only image how his mind was racing after learning about magic and being attacked by demons. She opened the door to Wyatt's bedroom and showed him around.

"There are towels in the bathroom in case you want to clean up." Penny said.

"Thanks." Theo replied a little dazed.

"Look, I know it is a lot to process all at once." Penny said. "We can talk some more later, but I think you should get some rest first."

"Yeah, I'm pretty exhausted." Theo agreed.

"I'll let you get some sleep." Penny said.

"Penny, thanks for your help." Theo replied. "I know I don't really seem grateful, but it's a lot."

"Don't worry about it." Penny said as she placed a hand on his arm. "My cousin and I will be right here if you need anything."

Theo nodded with a faint smile and Penny left the room. When she touched his arm, she had definitely picked up some signs from Theo that he was attracted to her, but right now, he was mostly scared. She reminded herself that he was an innocent to protect, nothing more. She wanted to head back downstairs, but she ran into Chris as he came up the stairs. He wanted to speak, though Penny signaled him to keep it down.

"I sent Sarah home." Chris whispered. "How is our guest?"

"Getting some sleep." Penny said. "But he is understandably scared."

"Let's talk more in the attic." Chris replied.

Penny nodded and the two of them headed up the attic, where the Book of Shadows was standing in the middle of the room in front of the window. Now that there was some distance between them and Theo, they could talk normally.

"So why would demons target Theo?" Chris asked.

"The only thing I can think of is his father." Penny replied. "He is the CEO of an important company."

"It wouldn't be the first time that demons try to infiltrate the cooperate world." Chris noted as he walked over to the book. "I remember reading about demons who tried it in the past. They were called the Brotherhood of the Thorn, but our moms vanquished them."

"There must be other demons with similar motives." Penny said. "And we have to figure out how the mystery chick was involved. She said she was sent to save Theo."

"Sent by whom?" Chris asked.

"She wouldn't say." Penny replied. "But she said she wasn't a demon, and I'm sure that mark on her arm means something."

"I actually know what the mark means." Chris said hesitantly.

Chris waved his hand over the Book of Shadows and it flipped open to a certain page. Penny walked around him and checked the book. She saw an entry about the Phoenix and recognized the image of the mark. Apparently, the Phoenix were a family of assassin witches, neither loyal to good nor evil. It didn't make sense that an assassin would save someone's life, as their job description was quite literally the opposite.

"How do you know this?" Penny asked.

"I… read the book a lot when I was younger." Chris replied quickly.

"Alright." Penny said with a frown. "So we have demons on one hand and an assassin witch on the other. How on earth are they connected?"

"That's what we need to figure out." Chris replied. "Maybe the company is involved with demonic activity. There might be some kind of power struggle with Theo caught in the middle."

"He only just started working there." Penny said. "I don't think he could be involved."

"He might not be." Chris reasoned. "But he is the son of the CEO. That could make him a target. You need to figure out what he knows."

"I don't want to push him." Penny replied. "He has been through enough for one night."

"Alright, then talk to him in the morning." Chris said. "Use your telepathy or even hypnosis if you have to. We have to make sure he really is the innocent here."

"Look, I trust him." Penny argued. "I didn't get any bad vibes from him."

"I'm just being careful, Penny." Chris replied.

"Yeah, I know." Penny admitted with a sigh. "Sorry, I'm pretty tired as well."

"You should get some rest. You can take Henry's room." Chris said. "I'll stay here and do some more research about the Phoenix."

"Alright." Penny said.

Penny hugged her cousin to thank him. When she touched him, her telepathy picked up on a name that was running through his mind. Bianca. She hadn't intended to read his mind, but some thoughts were just too strong to ignore. She wondered what the name meant to him, though she was careful to not let him know she had heard it. Instead, she just said goodnight and headed downstairs to get some sleep. She would get to the bottom of all of this in the morning.

Xxx

In the penthouse office of Henson Holdings, John Henson was staring at a briefcase with a million dollars. It was a high price to pay the assassin, though it was worth it if his son was safe and his enemies were eliminated. In the big picture, a million was nothing to a businessman like John, as he dealt in multi-million contracts on a daily basis. He checked his phone, as he had been trying and failing to reach his son. Karliah had informed him about the witches that were supposedly protecting him, the Halliwells, and John wanted to get Theo away from them. He didn't want to risk his son learning about his deal with the devil. Theo would never forgive him if he learned everything.

"Your son is fine." Karliah noted while staring in her crystal ball.

"Just tell me where he is so I can sent my men to pick him up." John demanded.

"I already told you, sending your men to the Halliwells will only cause problems, as they love to meddle." Karliah said. "Let them take care of Theo while we focus on your enemies."

"Very well." John said reluctantly. "Where is that assassin?"

"Right here." Bianca replied as she appeared through a rippling in the air. "Do you have my money?"

"It's all here." John said as he showed her the briefcase. "Half now, half when the job is done."

"The Phoenix honor their contracts." Bianca replied determined.

The assassin witch walked over to the desk and checked the money in the briefcase. She then waved her hand over the money and half of it disappeared through an orange glow.

"You said you had many rivals, though I doubt all of them have demonic connections." Bianca reasoned. "So the question is who would gain the most and who is capable of doing it."

"Aren't we paying you to figure that out?" Karliah remarked.

"And aren't you supposed to foresee these type of things?" Bianca snapped back at her.

"Enough." John said. "I do have a suspect. One of my biggest rivals, Wahlstrom International. Their CEO is a young woman named Victoria, who took the position when her parents were killed in a plane crash. She has been after my clients for months."

"Then I'll start there." Bianca said. "I'll inform you if I learn anything."

"Good, now both of you get out." John said.

The two young women glared at each other before disappearing through their respective forms of teleportation. John sighed and closed the briefcase before putting it in a safe. It was going to be a long night and he had a suite in the building for those nights, though he doubted he would get much sleep. He looked at a picture of his deceased wife and a shiver went down his spine. He could not let it happen again.

Xxx

The following morning, thirty-one year old Victoria Wahlstrom stepped out of the black limousine in front of her company, Wahlstrom International. She was a beautiful woman with pale skin and long and wavy auburn hair. She was dressed in a stylish white top and black skirt, along with a grey trench coat. As she walked up to the entrance of the building, she was greeted by her assistant, a handsome young man in a grey suit. He was holding a tablet in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

"Good morning, Miss Wahlstrom." The assistant said. "Here is your soy hazelnut latte."

Victoria nodded as she accepted the latte and the assistant followed her inside as he starting informing her about her schedule and appointments of that day. When they entered her private elevator, Victoria turned to the assistant and pressed him against the wall, kissing him passionately as she had done many times before.

"I like this suit on you." Victoria noted as she let her hand slide down his chest.

"Thank you for buying it for me, miss Wahlstrom." The assistant replied.

"Of course, I want my boy to look good." Victoria said. "Did you get me the report I asked for?"

"I… uh. I think I left it in the copy room." The assistant replied nervously.

Victoria's expression turned dark and before the assistant realized, she had already slapped him across the face. She then pushed him against the wall, digging her fingernails into the skin of his neck. The assistant looked scared, as he should be.

"What did I tell you about following orders?" Victoria hissed.

"Good boys always follow orders." The assistant whimpered. "I'm sorry, miss Wahlstrom. I won't let you down again."

"You'd better not." Victoria replied as their elevator reached the destined floor. "I'll have to find a way to punish you later. Now go get me that report."

When the elevator opened, the scared assistant almost ran to the copy room, while Victoria calmly walked to her office. She hated it when she was disappointed and she would make sure it wouldn't happen again, or her assistant could easily be replaced. She sat down at her desk and opened her laptop while drinking her latte. Her mood worsened when she saw an email in her private account and angrily slammed her fist on the desk. She grabbed her phone and called someone.

"Why wasn't I informed right away?" Victoria demanded to know.

"Because I decided you didn't need to know." A voice sounded behind her.

Victoria took a deep breath and ended the call before turning to the person behind her. It was an elderly woman with short red hair in a black suit, with a stern and harsh demeanor. Her name was Nanta, the demon that had created her.

"How dare you?" Victoria asked.

"Remember who you are speaking to, child." Nanta replied. "Or you might find yourself being punished like your little toys."

"I'm sorry." Victoria replied while biting her lip.

"You took a great risk sending demons after the Henson boy." Nanta said. "We had a plan to deal with Henson. Why didn't you stick to it?"

"Because the plan was taking too long." Victoria explained. "I want Henson out of business now. His company is keeping us from achieving our dreams."

"And what would killing his son achieve?" Nanta asked.

"He would be crushed, his pain would distract him." Victoria replied with a smile, as the thought amused her. "Maybe it would even completely destroy him, leaving his company vulnerable."

"You should have consulted me." Nanta said. "I didn't create you and place you into the Wahlstrom family for you to ruin it all now. You risked us losing everything."

"What are you talking about?" Victoria asked.

"Your actions drew the attention of witches." Nanta said. "The boy is under their protection now. And do you really think Henson isn't going to retaliate? It won't take him long to figure out who was behind the attack."

"Let him come." Victoria said.

"Foolish child." Nanta said as she shook her head. "You might be a demon underneath, but your skin is human. I will not risk decades of work because you can't control your demonic impulses."

"My impulses?" Victoria repeated angrily. "I have done everything you asked, everything you've trained me for. I'm in complete control."

"Really?" Nanta asked amused. "How many assistants have you gone through? How many young men and women had to disappear? And let's not forget the accident of your parents."

"Fine, I get it." Victoria said reluctantly. "I'm sorry. What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing." Nanta replied. "Keep running the company and let me clean up the mess as usual."

Nanta disappeared through a shimmer. Victoria clenched her fist, she hated how controlling and demeaning her mentor was, always treating her like a petulant child. She was a grown demon capable of making her own choices. She taken control of her family's company and was running it more successfully than her parents ever did. Nanta needed to stop playing the part of her nanny and start treating her like an equal.

Xxx

At the Halliwell Manor, Penny woke up early from a restless night. She was worried about Theo and she was troubled by Chris being secretive. Aside from that, she still had a failing club to get back to. She got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. She opened the door without thinking and was surprised to see a near-naked Theo standing here. His muscular body was still dripping from the shower and was only covered by a towel hanging low around his hips. It was an entrancing sight and she could not force herself to look away.

"Penny." Theo said surprised. "Sorry, I must have forgotten to lock the door."

"Oh, I don't mind." Penny remarked before correcting herself. "I mean, sorry. I didn't meant to barge in like that."

"It's okay." Theo replied with a smile. "How did you sleep?"

"Good, good." Penny quickly said. "You?"

"I've had better nights." Theo admitted. "I kept hoping it would all be a bad dream, but then I woke up here with this bandage on my arm."

"We should probably change that soon." Penny said. "But I guess I should let you get dressed first. Sorry again."

"Don't worry, I'm not that shy." Theo replied. "But my clothes are actually pretty torn and slightly charred."

"Oh, I'm sure my cousin won't mind if you borrow some of his clothes." Penny replied. "You can just check the dresser in his room."

"Thanks." Theo said.

Theo headed to the door and Penny stepped aside. As he headed to the bedroom, she could not resist checking out him out as he walked away, letting her eyes feast on his broad shoulders and very firm, well-rounded butt. Realizing how wrong it was, she quickly closed the door and bumped her head against it. The old Penny would not have been able to resist him, but she had grown and changed, right? She just needed to remind herself of that while she took a cold shower.

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 4

Xxx

A swirling blue portal opened in the grand hall of Magic School and Chris stepped through. Since it was early in the morning, students were running to their classes and barely paid attention to him. He was there to see his father, as his research into the Phoenix had not resulted in much. The Book of Shadows had little information on them, as they were an elite and very secretive family of witches. However, Chris was convinced that his father knew more. He kept going over everything he knew about Bianca, including the time-displaced memories Barbas had shown him. A different version of him had known Bianca intimately and it was time to learn the truth.

When Chris reached his father's office, he knocked and waited to be invited inside. He opened the door and found his father sitting as his desk, dressed in his headmaster's robe.

"Chris." Leo said pleasantly surprised. "I thought you were a student. It's good to see you."

"Hi, dad. It's good to see you too." Chris replied. "But I'm not here for a social call."

"Is something wrong?" Leo asked.

"I don't know yet." Chris admitted. "I'm helping Penny deal with a demon attack at P3, but there was a mysterious woman who interfered."

"Is Penny alright?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, she's fine." Chris said. "She is looking after an innocent back at the manor."

"So you're looking for information about this mysterious woman?" Leo asked when he rose from his chair and walked over to a cabinet of books. "Anything specific that could help identify her?"

"Her name is Bianca." Chris said.

Chris noticed that his father's froze in place when he heard that name, which confirmed his suspicion that he knew more. Leo turned to his son with a troubled look in his eyes.

"I guess you know more than that." Leo reasoned. "Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

"I remember her." Chris said. "Well, not really, but I have seen things, memories that aren't really mine. They belonged to a different version of me, right?"

"Yes." Leo replied. "I knew it was only a matter of time before we would have this talk. I don't even know where to begin."

"It's connected to Wyatt, isn't it?" Chris asked. "To how he almost turned evil?"

"It is." Leo confirmed. "Back when Wyatt was a baby, a version of you came to the past from a dark future, one where Wyatt had turned evil. You came back to save your brother from that fate."

"What happened?" Chris asked.

"You infiltrated the lives of your mother and aunts by posing as their Whitelighter, back when I was an Elder." Leo explained. "You kept your identity a secret and tried to find out what turned Wyatt evil."

"Which turned out to be Gideon." Chris noted.

"Indeed." Leo continued. "However, you weren't the only one to come back from the future. Wyatt sent someone was sent back to retrieve you. Her name was Bianca."

"But I saw her fight him in that memory." Chris replied with a frown. "She wasn't with him, she was with me. I think we had feelings for each other."

"You did." Leo said. "She supported you when you tried to save Wyatt, but when you went to the past, he forced her to go get you back."

"But she stood up to him." Chris said as he relived the memory in his mind, seeing her dying in his arms once more. "She died trying to save me, so I could save him."

"And you did." Leo said. "With your help, we figured out it was Gideon and we saved Wyatt, thus altering the timeline. The future version of you died just as you were born."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Chris asked.

"We talked about it, your mother and I, but we didn't want to burden you." Leo admitted. "We wanted you to live your own life and not be affected by things from the past."

"You were afraid that I would hate Wyatt." Chris noted.

"No, never." Leo said determined as he sat back down at his desk. "Because that is not the kind of person you are, Chris."

"I don't know." Chris replied confused. "I always knew there was something I was missing. A feeling that something wasn't right. And then Barbas showed me that memory and I even saw her past life in Camelot. I knew I was connected to her somehow."

"A different version of her." Leo said. "Neither of you is the same person you were in that other timeline. You have lived completely different lives here."

"I deserved to know." Chris replied angrily. "You kept this a secret from me."

"You're right." Leo said after taking a deep breath. "We just wanted to protect you and your brother, but you have every right to be angry."

"I just need some time to process." Chris replied. "I understand why you did it, you wanted us to have a clean slate. But now that I know she is out there, I can't ignore her."

"Your souls are intertwined." Leo said. "That's why your past lives have crossed paths. You were destined to run into each other again."

"I have to find her." Chris replied.

"Of course, but you have to be careful, son." Leo warned him. "You have these memories, but she doesn't. You're a stranger to her and the Phoenix are dangerous."

"That's why I need more information." Chris said. "Can you help me?"

"I have some scrolls about the Phoenix." Leo replied as he got up and walked toward the cabinet. "They're powerful witches with powers often associated with demons, which is due to their vengeful nature. They're assassins who will not hesitate to use deadly force. Don't underestimate them."

"I won't." Chris said.

"I mean it, Chris." Leo said as he handed over the scrolls and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you care about Bianca, but she has no reason to trust you. Don't confront her alone."

"I won't." Chris quickly said, knowing that it was a lie. He had every intention of seeking her out on his own. "Thanks for the scrolls."

"Are we good?" Leo asked.

"Of course." Chris replied as he hugged his father. "I know you did what you thought was best."

Chris said goodbye to his father and left the office with the scrolls. He hated that he had just lied to his father, but his parents had done the same to him his entire life. They kept a huge secret from him, and while he understood their reasons, it still hurt. He needed to meet Bianca to be certain how he felt about her, or he would never be able to let this go.

Xxx

At the Halliwell Manor, Penny and Theo were sitting in the kitchen having breakfast. Chris was nowhere to be found, so Penny had decided to make herself home. Theo was wearing some of Wyatt's clothes, which fitted him nicely. Penny was relieved that he was dressed after catching him in the bathroom earlier. She needed to focus on the demonic attack and nothing else. She suspected his father was connected to the attack and Chris had warned her that Theo might not be as innocent as he appeared. However, she refused to believe he was involved. She was just trying to figure out how to bring up his father.

"You're quiet." Theo noted.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." Penny replied. "How's breakfast?"

"It's fine, but I doubt that's what you want to ask." Theo said. "We're both thinking about the same thing, right?"

"Are we?" Penny asked hesitantly.

"The demons." Theo said. "We have to figure out why they're after me."

"Right." Penny replied. "Do you have any idea?"

"No, not really." Theo said as he thought about it. "Before yesterday, I had no idea magic and demons were real."

"Are you sure you can't think of anything?" Penny asked carefully.

"No, but you obviously do." Theo replied with a frown. "Please, tell me."

"Okay." Penny said after taking a deep breath. "Chris and I were talking, and since the demons attacked you at the office party, we thought it could be connected to your father."

"My father?" Theo asked confused. "Why?"

"Well, he is one of the richest and most powerful men in the city." Penny reasoned. "He likely has many enemies out there. Demons have meddled in mortal businesses before."

"He's just a regular businessman." Theo said.

"Do you know how he got so successful?" Penny asked.

"No, I always assumed he was just good at his job." Theo replied. "He was always away, so I hardly ever saw him during my childhood."

"That must have been tough." Penny said.

"I guess." Theo said with a shrug. "I didn't really miss him at first. It always used to be me and my mom. At least until…"

Theo stopped talking and Penny noticed him becoming a little emotional. She placed a hand on his arm to comfort him and accidentally picked up some of his thoughts. He was thinking about his mother, Luciana, who died when he was ten years old. Theo missed her a lot and he struggled with her death. She had been found dead in a hotel room during a business trip. His father had always told him it had been a robbery.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Penny said before she realized.

Theo looked at her and withdrew his arm. "Did you just read my mind?" He asked concerned.

"By accident." Penny quickly said. "It wasn't my intention, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Theo said after a moment. "It's been so long since I talked to anyone about her. My father refuses to even mention her. He just shipped me off to a boarding school after she died."

"That's horrible." Penny remarked. "No wonder you're not close."

"I did everything I could to get his attention." Theo said. "I got into fights, got bad grades, when I got older I started drinking and partying. So he just sent me to rehab instead. When I started working at the company, it was the first time I felt worthy of his time."

"You deserved better." Penny said. "No kid should go through that alone. They think it was a robbery?"

"Yeah." Theo replied. "They met when my mom was working at a hotel in Mexico and got married quickly after. The night she was killed, my mom had flown out to surprise my dad during a business trip. Wrong place, wrong time, I guess."

"Oh my god." Penny said horrified.

"She was the only real family I had." Theo said. "My father is basically a stranger."

"So you've never seen or heard anything weird around the office?" Penny asked. "Anything that could indicate demonic involvement?"

"No." Theo replied with a shrug.

"That settles it." Penny said determined. "I'm going to your office to investigate."

"What?" Theo asked surprised.

"Don't worry, using my hypnosis, I can easily charm my way in." Penny replied. "I'll snoop around for a bit and see what I can find."

"I'm going with you." Theo said.

"Theo, no, it's too dangerous for you." Penny said. "You should stay here."

"It's my company, I know the place. I'm not going to let you go alone." Theo said determined. "Besides, I want answers just as badly."

"Alright." Penny agreed reluctantly. "I guess that would make getting in a little easier."

Penny and Theo finished up their breakfast and headed out. Penny wasn't sure she was doing the right thing by bringing Theo along. It was dangerous, but then again, it would be helpful to have the son of the CEO with her while she investigated the company. She quickly grabbed her phone and texted Chris about their plans, so he could orb in when they needed him.

As the two left the manor and got in the car, they were unaware of Nanta observing them from across the street. The demon smiled as she pulled a tracking device from her pocket and teleported it inside the trunk of the car before shimmering away.

Xxx

In an Underworld cavern lit by several candles, Nanta appeared through a shimmer. The cavern was filled with black furniture, giving it a blend of darkness and modern style. She walked over to a cabinet and poured herself a glass of red wine. Victoria was a handful, though she was also one of her biggest achievements. Wahlstrom International would get Nanta one step closer to her ultimate goal, to control the economy. While most demons could only kill and maim, Nanta had learned that she could cause more pain by taking the thing mortals cared about most, their money.

A suited demon entered the cavern and kneeled. "Any news, ma'am?" He asked.

"I'm tracking the witches as we speak." Nanta replied. "Get your men ready. I want them and the boy dead before they discover the connection to Victoria."

"Understood." The demon replied.

The demon disappeared through a shimmer and Nanta walked over to a stone wall. She waved her hand and the wall moved, revealing a mechanical door behind it. She entered another cavern with stone basin in the center and several demonic eggs lying inside.

"Hello my babies." Nanta said. "Soon you all will find a place. Just a little while longer."

Nanta focused her attention on a large screen on the wall. It was tracking the vitals of the eggs, which were all strong and healthy. She waved her hand and the screen changed, revealing several of her demonic imposters out in the world, including Victoria. She waved her hand again and the screen changed to a security camera of Victoria's office. She was working as Nanta had ordered. A bleeping red light alerted Nanta to a security breach at the company. She waved her hand and the screen showed another office, where a young woman in leather was searching a desk.

"And who might you be?" Nanta asked curiously. "One of the witches?"

Nanta noticed something and froze the image with a snap of her finger. She zoomed in to the woman's arm and saw a familiar marking. The woman was one of the Phoenix, meaning she was probably hired by Henson out of retaliation for attacking his son. That make her a problem that needed to be dealt with right away. She grabbed her phone and called Victoria.

"You have an intruder in the building." Nanta said. "Check your security cams and send some demons to take her out. Don't get close, she is dangerous."

"Got it." Victoria replied before ending the call.

Nanta sighed and finished her wine. She was getting tired of playing the demonic nanny. Her plans were foiled by witches once before and she was determined to not let it happen again.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 5

Xxx

Chris Halliwell returned to the manor only to discover that Penny and the innocent were gone. He checked his phone and read a message from his cousin, saying that they went to investigate John Henson. Although he didn't like the idea of Penny snooping around an office connected to demons, it did give him time and space to find out more about Bianca. He placed the scrolls he had gotten from his father on the table and started reading. It described a lot of things that he already knew, like how they had risen from Salem and had turned vengeful. However, he needed something that would help him find one. He eventually found a spell that could help. It was a summoning spell to enlist their services as assassins. All he had to do was reverse the spell and it would send him to her.

Chris grabbed a piece of paper and a lighter from the kitchen, as it was normally required to write down the name of the target and burn the paper. He knew it was dangerous and Bianca could easily mistake him from an enemy, but he had to take the risk. He wrote down her name on the paper and set it on fire as he cast the spell.

" _From Salem's ashes they are born, vengeful witches strong and scorn,_

 _A bounty offered for a name, take me to the bird of flame."_

The paper disintegrated in his hand as Chris was surrounded by white orbs and swept away. When he materialized, he was standing in a small cubicle inside a large office building. All around him, people were working in their own cubicles, so they fortunately had not noticed him. Bianca had to be close, though Chris wondered why the spell hadn't send him to her directly. He looked around and saw the logo of a company called Wahlstrom International on the wall. He left the cubicle and quickly ran into a balding, clearly frustrated man.

"Who are you?" The man asked in a grumpy tone. "You're the new temp?"

"Yeah, yes, I am." Chris quickly said.

"Finally, I requested one hours ago." The man replied. "I'm the floor manager. Follow me."

Chris had no choice but to play along and he followed the manager through the office. He looked around for Bianca, but she was nowhere to be found. The manager guided him into a windowless file room, where boxes filled with papers were scattered around.

"I need you to sort these alphabetically and then cross-reference them by date." The manager said as he turned to Chris. "Wait, where is your ID?"

"I think I left in in my jacket." Chris lied.

"Whatever, I'll need to scan it by the end of the day or you're not getting paid." The manager said with a shrug. "Bathroom is at the end of the hall and there is a coffee machine around the corner. Good luck."

The manager left and closed the door, leaving Chris alone with the files. He wondered why Bianca would come to an office like this. Was it connected to the attack on Theo or was she here for other reasons? Finding her was going to be near-impossible in a large building like this, so he considered casting the spell again. Before he could, he was distracted by commotion in the hallway. He opened the door and saw a small army of guards heading his way. Had they discovered he was a fake temp already, or were they after her? Chris quickly closed the door and waited. When the guards passed the file room, he realized they were after Bianca, which meant he had to follow them.

Chris left the file room and followed the security guards from a distance, while the guards told everyone else to evacuate the floor. They eventually reached a large office in the back, where they positioned themselves around the door. Chris hid behind a desk and waited. One of the guards knocked on the door.

"We know you're in there." The guard called out. "We cast a spell around the office so you can't teleport away. Come out, the boss wants a word."

Chris frowned, not only did the guards know about magic, but they had prevented him from orbing out. That was likely why his spell hadn't taken him to Bianca directly. It also meant that this was anything but a normal office. There were a total of six guards, meaning Bianca was outnumbered.

Suddenly, the window of the office shattered and Bianca leaped into the hallway. To Chris, it almost seemed to happen in slow-motion. Before the guards could react, Bianca did a roundhouse kick and knocked down two of them.

"I'm not in the mood to talk." Bianca remarked.

"Get her!" the head guard yelled.

Two guards formed fireballs and threw them, though Bianca easily avoided them. She formed an Energy Ball and threw it at the ceiling. When the lights exploded, she used the distraction to run, though the guards quickly chased her. The two guards that she had kicked down crawled up, though Chris threw them across the hall with a fling of his arm, knocking them out.

Chris ran after Bianca and the guards and saw them running into a conference room, where Bianca leaped over the table to avoid more fireballs. The four remaining guards started to circle the table, though Bianca kicked a chair at one and then threw an athame at another, piercing his shoulder. The third guard leaped at her, though she threw him to the ground with a martial arts move. The final guard threw a fireball, though Bianca countered it with an Energy Ball, causing a small explosion in the air. The four guards then surrounded her.

"Give up, witch." The guard said. "You can't take all of us. Not alone."

"She's not alone." Chris said as he entered the room, using Telekinesis to throw the guards back.

"Who the hell are you?" Bianca asked.

"I'm here to help." Chris replied.

"I don't need your help." Bianca snapped at him.

Bianca ran at the guard who had been hit with the athame and pulled it from his shoulder before stabbing him in the stomach. The guard screamed and exploded. She then threw an Energy Ball and vanquished another guard running at her. The third guard threw a fireball at her, though Chris deviated it back at him, vanquishing him.

"We need backup." The remaining guard said into a walkie-talkie. "There's two of them."

Chris flung his arm and sent the guard flying into a wall, knocking him out. He turned to Bianca, though before he could say anything, she held her athame to his throat. Even with a blade to his skin, the only thing Chris could think at that moment was how beautiful she was.

"Those guards will be here any minute, so start talking." Bianca warned. "Who sent you?"

"Nobody." Chris replied. "I'm here to help you, Bianca."

"How the hell do you know my name?" Bianca asked with a glare.

Chris frowned as he tried to think of what to say. He had secretly hoped that she would recognize him somehow, though he realized it was stupid to think that. She was looking at a stranger with deadly eyes. He wanted to explain everything to her, but there wasn't enough time.

"I can explain, but it's complicated." Chris said. "You have to trust me."

"I don't trust anyone." Bianca replied.

"You rescued my cousin." Chris said. "Why?"

"Your cousin?" Bianca repeated. "Of course, the witch protecting the Henson kid. I know who you are now."

"You do?" Chris asked surprised.

"Of course, you're a Halliwell." Bianca said as she rolled her eyes. "You good witches always stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

Chris was disappointed, as she only knew his family by reputation. For a moment, he hoped that he had triggered a memory. Instead, he realized that his father was right, this Bianca was a different person. While Chris had seen their alternate selves in a memory, she only knew this life, where they had never met. There was no point in trying to persuade her, though he could still help Penny save her innocent.

"An innocent was targeted by demons." Chris said. "Theo Henson. Why was he a target and who is behind it?"

"Why would I share that information?" Bianca asked. "I'm the one holding a knife to your throat, remember? Not the other way around."

"The Phoenix might be assassins, but they're not evil." Chris replied. "I doubt you would want an innocent to be killed. I think you're better than that."

"You don't know me." Bianca said. "Don't pretend you do."

"I know you're not going to kill me." Chris said confidently. "Just tell me what I need to know and we can go our separate ways."

"You're not in a position to make demands." Bianca countered.

"Maybe not, but time is running out." Chris said as he looked at the door. "Any moment, more guards will storm in and we can't teleport. The only way out is to work together."

"Wrong again, tiger." Bianca replied.

Bianca smirked as she took a step back and put away the athame. She turned and kicked a chair at the window, causing it to shatter. She ran to it and leaped outside. Chris screamed and ran after her, knowing they were several floors high. He watched in shock as Bianca fell, though she disappeared in a shimmer before she reached the ground. Chris took a relieved breath as he realized her plan.

"Of course." Chris noted. "The spell only works inside the building."

At that moment, more guards entered the conference room, followed by young woman with auburn hair. Chris realized she had to be the one the guards reported to, the one in charge.

"You made a big mistake breaking into my office." The woman said.

"Your office?" Chris replied with a frown. "So you're the one trying to kill an innocent. For what? A business deal gone wrong?"

"Just eliminating the competition." The woman said with a smile.

"Your plan is not going to work." Chris replied. "We're going to stop you."

The woman scoffed and took a step back, signaling her guards to attack. They formed fireballs and Chris realized it was time to go. His reunion had not gone as planned, but at least he had learned who was behind the attack on Theo. Bianca was only a small part of this game, which he would figure out eventually. As the guards attacked, Chris leaped out the window and orbed away.

Xxx

Across the city, Penny and Theo got out of the car in the parking garage of Henson Holdings and entered the elevator. Although she was glad that Theo was with her, Penny remained concerned about his safety. She was also worried that he might not like what they would discover about his father. He had probably realized the same, as he had been quiet the entire ride over.

"Hey, listen…" Penny started to say.

"I know…" Theo interrupted her. "There is a chance my father is involved with those demons. I've been thinking about it in the car. Looking back at everything he achieved, there has to be magic involved. No businessman is that good."

"We still don't know for sure." Penny assured him.

"No, but it's time to get answers." Theo said. "We won't find anything snooping around. I have to confront my father."

"That might be dangerous." Penny replied. "What if he is being controlled by a demon?"

"You can read his mind, right?" Theo asked. "You can find out if he is telling the truth."

"Maybe." Penny said. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, I need to know." Theo replied. "My father and I were never close, but I have to know if he is a good person, if he even cares about me."

"Whatever happens, I'm here for you." Penny said.

Theo nodded with a faint smile and took her hand in his own. They stood in silence as the elevator went up to the top floor. It felt good to hold his hand and for the first time, Penny did not accidentally read his thoughts. Theo did not let go until the elevator door opened on the right floor. As they stepped out, a young woman behind a desk looked up at them.

"Mr. Henson." The young woman said.

"Is my father in his office?" Theo asked.

The woman nodded and Theo and Penny entered the office of John Henson. Penny was amazed by how large and luxurious it was, with an amazing view of the city. Theo's father was sitting at his desk with his hands buried in his face, though he looked up when he heard the door. He seemed relieved to see his son, which told Penny that he already knew about the demonic attack.

"Theo!" John said. "It's good to see you, I've been trying to reach you."

John got up and walked over and hugged his son, though it happened so awkwardly that it was clear that it had never happened before. However, Penny could tell that he was genuinely happy to see Theo was safe. She tried to pick up his thoughts, but he was too guarded to let her in. Theo interrupted the hug and took some distance.

"Why did you try to reach me?" Theo asked.

"What do you mean?" John asked. "Can't a father check in on his son?"

"Not when he is you." Theo replied with a frown. "Let's not play around. We both know why I'm here."

"Alright." John said before turning his gaze to Penny. "But we're not discussing private matters in front of strangers. Who is this?"

"Penny is not a stranger." Theo snapped at him. "She is a friend and she saved my life."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Henson." Penny said with a fake smile. "Theo has told me a lot."

"I can only imagine." John replied as he walked back to his desk and sat down. "Alright, Theo, what do you want to know?"

"What I want to know?!" Theo called out as he stormed at his father. "This is not some business deal, dad. Demons tried to kill me and you know about it!"

"I do." John admitted. "I have powerful enemies, son. Last night, one of them sent demons after you, probably in an attempt to get to me."

"How do you even know about demons and magic?" Theo asked.

"I didn't acquire all of this on just good business instincts." John revealed. "Years ago, I was offered a deal by a powerful individual. I took it and I've been successful ever since."

"A deal?" Penny asked concerned. "What kind of deal? What did you offer in return?"

"I suspect you already know, Miss Halliwell." John replied.

"How do you know her name?" Theo asked shocked. "What is going on, dad?"

"Theo, your father made a deal with a demon." Penny explained. "A deal where he signed away his soul. That's how he became successful and that's how he knows about magic."

"You gave up your soul?" Theo asked disgusted. "How could you do that?"

"I didn't believe in souls at the time." John replied. "I didn't start to realize my mistake until after I met your mother. She showed me love for the first time and then she gave me you."

"Then back out of the deal." Theo demanded.

"He can't." A voice sounded from behind them. "A deal like that cannot be undone."

Penny turned around and saw an elderly woman with red hair walk into the office, followed by several men dressed in suits. Penny could feel the dark thoughts emanating from them and realized they belonged to the same group of demons that had attacked Theo at the club. The woman was likely the demon in charge. Penny nervously stepped back, as she saw no way out.

xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 6

Xxx

In the office of John Henson, Penny stood in front of the demonic intruders led by the red-haired woman. She looked around for an escape, but realized the demons were blocking the only exit. Knowing that she had to keep Theo and his father safe, she positioned herself between them and the demons. Theo stepped forward as well, though Penny gave him a look that told him to stay back. He was the innocent here, so she had to protect him. The red-haired woman smiled as she met Penny halfway the office.

"Brave little witch." The woman said. "But you won't be able to protect them."

"Who are you?" Penny asked. "Why are you after Theo?"

"The name is Nanta." The woman replied. "And I'm not after the boy, not really. I'm only interested in eliminating the competition."

"Why would a demon be interested in a mortal company?" Penny asked. "Need money for a new wardrobe? Because that pantsuit is really out of style."

"I should have expected such a sharp tongue from a Halliwell." Nanta remarked.

"You know who I am?" Penny asked.

"Of course." Nanta replied. "I encountered your mother and aunts long ago. But I'm not here to dig up the past. I came to deal with the present."

"No." Penny said as she tapped into her hypnosis power, causing her voice to echo. "You need to leave and take your demons with you."

"Foolish girl." Nanta replied with a smile. "Do you really think a power like that will work on me?"

"It was worth a shot." Penny remarked.

"Enough." John Henson said as he rose from his chair and walked over. "This doesn't involve her or my son. Let them go. You're after me."

"Dad, no." Theo objected.

"Well, well, this is interesting." Nanta replied. "Looks like success is not the only thing you care about after all, John. It's too little too late, though, as your soul has already been claimed."

"Let's just make a deal." John said.

"You have nothing left to offer." Nanta noted. "With your death, your company will be ruined and Wahlstrom International will rise to the top."

"I knew Victoria was behind this." John replied. "Or are you the one really in control?"

"Victoria is nothing without me." Nanta said. "I created her and taught her everything she knows. But you will take that information to the grave."

Nanta nodded at one of her demons and he threw a fireball at John. Penny quickly pushed him aside and levitated to avoid the fireball. She called out for Chris before leaping down and kicking the demon in the chest. Meanwhile, Theo grabbed his father and they took cover behind the desk. Another demon near Penny formed a fireball, though she saw his attack coming.

"Attack your allies!" Penny commanded through hypnosis.

The demon nodded and instead threw the fireball at another demon, vanquishing him. He charged at the rest of the demons, though he was vanquished before he could land another hit. When the demons turned back to Penny, she levitated to avoid more fireballs. At that moment, John saw an opening and tried to escape while dragging Theo with him.

"Not so fast." Nanta said.

Nanta summoned a gun in her hand and shot John in the chest. Theo screamed for his father as he caught him in his arms, causing them both to fall to the floor. Penny wanted to help them, but she was forced to duck behind the desk to avoid a barrage of fireballs.

"No, dad. Please!" Theo cried out as he cradled his father.

"Kill the boy and the witch." Nanta ordered her demons.

The demons nodded and formed fireballs. At that moment, a column of orbs appeared in the office and manifested in Chris. When the demons threw their fireballs at him, he deviated them back and vanquished the demons. Realizing that her forces were destroyed, Nanta glared at Chris and Penny before disappearing through a shimmer.

"Good thing you called." Chris said.

"Please, you have to help my dad." Theo called out.

Penny and Chris ran over to Theo and kneeled down. Chris tried to stop the bleeding by putting pressure on the wound, though Penny feared that it was too late. When John noticed Penny, he grabbed her arm and she could feel his thoughts in her head. Memories flashed before her eyes. She saw a beautiful woman in a hotel lying dead on the floor with a demon standing over her. She then saw a suitcase of money being handed over to Bianca. Finally, her mind was flooded with memories of Theo growing up. Penny could feel the love John had for his son. At that moment, his grip lessened and Penny could feel he was gone.

"We need to call…" Chris started to say, though he stopped when he realized John was dead.

"No, no, no!" Theo called out. "We have to call an ambulance. He can still make it!"

"Theo." Penny said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "He is gone. I'm so sorry."

"No!" Theo cried out.

"Penny, we're not safe here." Chris said.

"I know." Penny said with a nod before turning to Theo. "Look, I know it hurts, but your father loved you. He would want you to be safe."

"I can't leave him." Theo replied.

"We'll get justice for him." Chris added. "But you're still a target."

"The only thing you can do for him now is stay alive." Penny said as she took his hand. "Please come with me."

"Alright." Theo said after a moment.

Penny nodded at Chris and he placed a hand on her shoulder, taking the three of them away in a column of orbs. When they were gone, Karliah appeared through a small whirlwind. She looked at John with a saddened look, feeling a little sorry the man she had worked with for decades.

"I'm sorry, John, but you were on borrowed time anyway." Karliah noted.

Karliah reluctantly held out her hand and John started to glow as his soul rose up from his body. He looked around confused for a moment, then screamed as he dissolved and was contained in a sphere of fire. Once it was done, the flaming sphere floated to the Oracle. She took it in her hands before disappearing through a gust of wind.

Xxx

In her office at Wahlstrom International, Victoria stared at the security footage of the fight between her demons and the two intruders. She had been alerted the presence of the woman by Nanta, though the guy had been an unwelcome surprise. If he hadn't intervened, her demons would have easily caught the woman. She wondered who these people were and how they dared to break into her office. Victoria stopped the video and zoomed in on the guy's face. He was quite handsome despite being so troublesome. If they had met another way, she could have fallen for him.

"I'll find you." Victoria promised as she touched the screen. "And I'll make you pay."

"Don't make threats you cannot follow up on." Nanta remarked as she appeared in the office through a shimmer.

"You're back." Victoria noted. "Any news?"

"John Henson is dead." Nanta replied coldly. "That's one part of the problem taken care of."

"He's dead?" Victoria asked with a satisfied smile. "That's great news. Now we can take all of his clients and ruin Henson Holdings."

"All in due time." Nanta said. "As I said, he was only part of the problem. Now we have to deal with the witches."

"The witches shouldn't be a problem." Victoria replied. "Our demonic blood makes us immune to their powers."

"Witches are more than just their powers, foolish girl." Nanta said. "Especially the assassin, she's one of the Phoenix."

"But if John is dead, why would she still come after me?" Victoria asked with a frown. "She has no reason left to kill me."

"The Phoenix don't break a contract, not even when their client is killed." Nanta explained. "She is a threat that needs to be dealt with. We also need to kill the good witches and the boy, as he knows too much."

"How are we going to deal with them?" Victoria asked.

"They will come for you, dear." Nanta replied. "Which makes you the excellent bait to set a trap."

"You want to use me as bait?!" Victoria called out as she rose from her chair. "You can't do that, you need me to run this business. You have no claim over it without me."

"Listen to me very carefully." Nanta said in a threatening manner. "I created you, I gave you all of this. I've been patient over the years, as you were my best creation, but don't think for a second that you're actually in charge here."

Victoria wanted to argue, but bit her lip to remain silent. She wanted to be free of her controlling demonic creator, but she was powerless against her. The only way to be free was if the witches vanquished Nanta for her. Instead of being the bait, she could set her own trap with a few demons loyal to her instead of her mentor. With Nanta gone, she could finally make her own choices. She would no longer be the puppet, but the one pulling the strings.

"I'm sorry." Victoria lied. "I know you want what's best for me."

"Good." Nanta replied. "You will have everything you ever wanted, as long as you understand that I'm the one in control."

"I understand perfectly." Victoria said.

Nanta nodded and left the office. Victoria sighed as she sat back down and stared at the computer screen. She would use the witches to vanquish her mentor and then have her demons kill the witches, as well as Theo. She smiled at the thought of her plan succeeding, as it would mean all her enemies were dead in one fell swoop.

Xxx

At the Halliwell Manor, Chris, Penny and Theo appeared in the hallway through a column of orbs. While they had managed to vanquish a few demonic minions, the one in charge had escaped and they had lost an innocent. Frustrated by this, Chris started pacing around. Penny had taken a huge risk and he was angry with her for that, as she had put herself and Theo in danger. However, he was also angry at himself for letting her, all so he could chase after Bianca, a woman that didn't even recognize him. Meanwhile, Penny helped Theo to the couch.

"You should get some rest. Go to sleep for now." Penny said.

Theo nodded and instantly fell asleep, making it obvious that Penny had used hypnosis on him. She put his feet up on the couch and headed over to her cousin.

"I put him to sleep so we can figure this out." Penny explained. "He needs time to grief and he's not getting any with that demon running around."

"Smart." Chris replied. "It's for his own protection."

"Things are such a mess." Penny called out as she ran her hand through her hair. "I don't even know what we're supposed to do."

"We need to start working together, at least." Chris replied. "Taking Theo to his father was dangerous."

"Excuse me?" Penny asked with a frown. "Are we going to place blame here? Because if that's the case, we need to talk about Bianca, aka the mystery woman that saved us."

"What?" Chris asked surprised. "How did you..?"

"I picked up your thoughts earlier. You know her." Penny replied. "Who is she and why are you so obsessed with her?"

"Alright." Chris said. "I'll tell you everything."

Chris and Penny sat down and he started explaining how he knew about Bianca, though he only told her the most important stuff and left out certain details, as there were things he wanted to keep to himself. He also told his cousin about their encounter at Wahlstrom International.

"And she doesn't even recognize you." Penny remarked. "That's painful."

"Yeah, it's not great." Chris admitted. "I'm sorry I got angry before. You were only trying to help Theo."

"No, you were right." Penny replied. "It was dangerous taking Theo there, I should have waited. I'm part of the reason why Theo lost his dad."

"Don't blame yourself." Chris said. "John Henson got himself involved with demons, he was already a target. You have nothing to do with his death."

"I guess, but now Theo had to watch his father die." Penny said. "How will he ever forgive me?"

"At least he knows the truth." Chris noted. "That's something."

"I hope so." Penny replied as she looked over at a sleeping Theo. "He's been through a lot."

"The best way we can help him now is to make sure he is safe." Chris said. "Which means we have to take care of Nanta."

"And Victoria Wahlstrom." Penny added. "She's working with that hag."

"I'll go check the Book of Shadows to see if there is a potion or spell to vanquish her." Chris said. "You should stay here with Theo in case he wakes up."

"I will." Penny said. "Thanks, Chris."

Chris headed upstairs while Penny moved over to the couch and sat down next to her innocent, placing a blanket over him. Chris had never seen Penny care for someone like that and realized she had feelings for Theo. As far as he remembered, she had never been serious about a guy like that before. It made Chris even more determined to put a stop to Nanta's plans. He needed to put Bianca out of his mind and focus on helping Penny.

Chris entered the attic and headed to the Book of Shadows. The name Nanta sounded familiar to him, so he used his powers to quickly scan its content. It flipped to a page written by his mother. However, before Chris could read it, he felt the sharp sting of a blade at his back. He instinctively knew it was Bianca standing behind him and raised his hands.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings." Bianca said.

"Are we really doing this again?" Chris asked. "Why did you follow me?"

"Because you're interfering with my mark." Bianca replied.

"The man who hired you is dead." Chris said. "But I guess the Phoenix have an honor code that means you have to fulfill the contract."

"You're pretty smart." Bianca noted. "But I need you to stop getting in my way."

"Is that the only reason you're here?" Chris asked.

"You're not the only one who does research." Bianca replied. "I knew Victoria wasn't acting alone, now I know which demon is backing her."

"What do you know about Nanta?" Chris asked.

"This isn't a trade, I'm not telling you anything." Bianca replied.

"Don't forget I offered." Chris remarked.

Before Bianca could react, Chris waved his hand and telekinetically threw the Phoenix back into a couch behind them. He turned to face her and barely avoided an Energy Ball. Bianca reached for her athame, but Chris called it to his hand. Bianca then leaped up and disappeared in a shimmer, only to reappear behind him. She kicked his hand, causing the athame to fly into the air, though before she could catch it, Chris flung her across the attic and pinned her against the wall.

"You're pretty good." Bianca noted with a smile.

"Thanks, so are you." Chris retorted. "So can we finally talk now?"

xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 7

Xxx

In the living room of the Halliwell Manor, Penny sat on the coffee table watching Theo sleep on the couch. Although he looked peaceful, she knew he would be in pain the moment he woke. He had just watched his father being killed, meaning that he was all alone now. Before he died, John had shown Penny his memories, which revealed that Theo's mother was similarly killed by demons years earlier. Theo had always believed it was a robbery, though Penny now knew she had been killed due to John's demonic connections. She hated the fact that she had to tell him, but he deserved to know the truth, just as he deserved to know that his father loved him.

"I'm so sorry for all of this." Penny said softly as she ran her hand through his hair.

A sudden explosion in the attic drew Penny's attention. Had the demons somehow followed them to the manor? She quickly got up and ran upstairs, as Chris might need her help.

When Penny entered the attic, she saw her cousin standing in the middle of the room, telekinetically holding the mysterious woman from before, Bianca, against the wall. There was an obvious tension in the room, though Penny couldn't say for sure whether it was anger or sexual tension.

"What is going on?" Penny asked.

"Bianca was just about to agree to a truce, right?" Chris said as he raised his eyebrows.

"A temporary truce, alright." Bianca replied with a faint smile. "Since you have me at a disadvantage."

Chris nodded and released his hold, allowing the assassin witch to gracefully land on her feet. She walked over to the corner and picked up her athame, which she slid into her boot. Penny was wary to trust her, though she decided to follow her cousin's example for the time being.

"What are you doing here?" Penny asked.

"She was spying on us, trying to figure out what we know." Chris explained. "And now we're going to come to an understanding."

"What do you have in mind?" Bianca asked.

"You recognized Nanta from the Book of Shadows." Chris replied. "Tell us what you know about her."

"Alright." Bianca said. "Nanta is known in the Underworld as a demonic nanny."

"Are you kidding?" Penny asked with a laugh. "So demons hire her for babysitting or something?"

"Not quite." Bianca replied. "She is known for kidnapping mortal children and replacing them with demonic doubles, so they can infiltrate the mortal world. She replaces rich children so her doubles can take over the family company."

"Like the myth of the changeling." Chris noted.

"Demons like Nanta are probably how the myth started." Bianca said.

"So how does she create these demons?" Penny asked. "Are they shapeshifters?"

"No, Nanta has these demonic eggs which are basically blank slates." Bianca explained. "If she infuses an egg with the blood of a mortal, the egg will hatch into a duplicate. It becomes a demon in a mortal body. They age like humans and have no powers except for immunity to witchcraft."

"What happens to the real children?" Penny asked.

"Do you really want that question answered?" Bianca replied with a skeptical frown.

"I guess it's better not to know." Penny admitted.

"What is her endgame?" Chris asked. "There has to be some kind of masterplan, right?"

"I don't know and I don't really care." Bianca replied. "John Henson might be dead, but I'm still contracted to kill Victoria Wahlstrom for the attempt on his son. Nanta is simply an obstacle."

"No, Nanta is a demon that needs to be stopped." Chris argued. "Who knows how many innocent children she killed and replaced with her doubles?"

"That's your job, not mine." Bianca replied.

"You really don't care?" Penny asked. "Phoenix or not, you are a witch."

"I'm not having this discussion again." Bianca said. "Look, right now our goals are aligned. You want to vanquish Nanta and I want to kill Victoria. I hate working with others, but it looks like I'm not getting rid of you."

"We're not going to let you assassinate Victoria." Chris replied.

"Did you miss the part where I explained that she's a demon?" Bianca asked annoyed.

"You also said that she is powerless, and at least part human." Chris replied. "She might not be innocent, but killing her is wrong nonetheless."

"So what? You want to send her to jail or something?" Bianca asked.

"We'll think of something." Chris said.

"Chris, she did try to have Theo killed." Penny said. "She was created and raised by a demon, doesn't that make her evil?"

"We don't kill out of retribution, Penny." Chris replied. "That goes against everything we stand for."

"Typical good witch nonsense." Bianca remarked as she rolled her eyes. "You believe this world is completely black and white."

"At least we're not so vengeful that we're incapable of seeing right from wrong." Chris snapped.

"Alright, you two need to figure out this… whatever this is later." Penny remarked. "Right now, I have an innocent downstairs still in danger. We need to focus on saving Theo."

"I don't think he's downstairs anymore." Bianca noted.

"What are you talking about?" Chris asked.

"As I said, you need to mind your surroundings." Bianca replied. "I heard a door slam downstairs a few minutes ago."

"What? Why didn't you tell us?" Penny called out.

"The kid just saw his father getting killed." Bianca said. "I can understand his need for vengeance."

"He is going to get himself killed!" Penny argued. "How could you let him leave?"

"He's not my innocent." Bianca replied with a shrug.

"I need to go after him." Penny said.

"No, wait." Chris said. "You can't run after him unprepared. We need a plan and a way to vanquish Nanta. I'm not letting you risk your life again."

"We don't have time." Penny replied.

Penny turned around in an attempt to leave, though Chris waved his hand and the attic door slammed shut in front of her. Penny angrily looked at her cousin and tried to open it, though Chris was keeping it shut with his powers. As she struggled with the door, Chris walked over to the Book of Shadows and checked out the entry on Nanta.

"Fine, I get it." Penny called out frustrated. "Just hurry up."

"My mom created a potion in case we ever ran into Nanta again." Chris replied. "It won't take long."

"And what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Penny asked.

"You can stop whining for one." Bianca remarked. "Nanta is smart, she won't kill the boy as long as she thinks that she can use him against us."

"Excuse me?" Penny replied a frown.

"Penny, just let it go." Chris said. "Help me brew the potion and we'll go save Theo as soon as possible."

"Fine." Penny said reluctantly.

"I'll stake out Wahlstrom International and meet you there when you're ready." Bianca said.

Before anyone had a chance to object, Bianca disappeared through a shimmer. Penny turned to her cousin with a frown. She wasn't sure if they could trust Bianca, especially not with Theo's life at stake. She didn't seem to care about anything other than achieving her own goals, which made her unpredictable.

"I don't like her." Penny noted.

Xxx

Across the city, Victoria Wahlstrom was sitting at her desk while impatiently staring at the clock. Nanta wanted her to be bait for the witches, while at the same time, she was plotting to kill both the witches and her mentor. She had convinced several minions to stand at her side, so all she needed to do was to get the witches to target Nanta first. Her minions would then kill the witches and everything she ever wanted would be hers. Her fantasy of her victory was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Victoria called out annoyed.

The door opened and her assistant entered. She was surprised to see he was still there, as the entire office had closed already. She had not instructed him to stay late, as she had done many times to vent her frustrations after a long day at work.

"Pardon the interruption, Miss Wahlstrom." The assistant said. "You have a visitor. Theo Henson."

"What?" Victoria asked confused.

"I know you don't like uninvited guests, but he said it was urgent." The assistant replied. "Should I let him in?"

"Yeah, let him in." Victoria said cautiously. "And then you're free to go home. I won't require your services tonight."

"Alright, miss Wahlstrom." The assistant said. "Have a nice evening."

The assistant turned around and left the office, leaving Victoria to wonder why Theo would come to the office alone. She barely knew him, though she assumed he was smarter than to face her alone. Perhaps it was a trap set up by the witches. Either way, she had her demons ready to strike.

When Theo stormed in, Victoria noticed he was looking all hot and bothered. She had always found him handsome enough, though a little bland for her taste. Seeing him furious like this, she wondered if there were some hidden depths after all.

"Hello Theo." Victoria said. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Drop the pretense, Victoria." Theo snapped as he towered over her at her desk. "My father is dead because of you."

"Alright." Victoria replied with a smile. "What are you doing to do about it? Hurt me?"

Theo glared at her and roughly grabbed her arm. She could see the hatred in his eyes, though she also saw fear. She was right all along, he was too weak to actually do anything. Theo let out a frustrated scream as he let go and instead shattered a vase of flowers standing on her desk. Victoria snapped her fingers and two demons appeared in a shimmer, grabbing Theo and holding him down.

"You made a big mistake coming here." Victoria said as she stood up. "You don't have what it takes."

"What do you want us to do?" One of the demons asked.

"Just get it over with and kill him." Victoria replied.

"Wait." The shrill voice of Nanta sounded as she entered the office. "Don't kill the boy yet."

"You!" Theo screamed. "You killed my father!"

"Oh, silence." Nanta replied annoyed.

Nanta waved her hand, causing a gag to appear in Theo's mouth through a puff of black smoke. The demons then forced him down into a chair and used handcuffs to tie him down.

"Why keep him alive?" Victoria asked with a frown.

"Have you forgotten everything I taught you?" Nanta replied. "Never waste resources, dear. The boy is our last remaining bargaining chip."

"I thought we were done bargaining." Victoria noted. "The witches need to die and so does Theo. He knows too much."

"All in due time." Nanta said. "The witches will be here soon."

Nanta laid her hand on Theo's shoulder and they both disappeared through a shimmer. Victoria glared at her demons and they followed her example. As she sat back down, she reminded herself that it was almost over. She was almost free. When she looked at her computer, she noticed movement on the security cameras. The witches were already there.

Xxx

At the same time, Penny and Chris entered Wahlstrom International. Penny nervously held onto her shoulder bag, which contained the vanquishing potions for Nanta. It felt weird just walking in through the front door, though Chris had reminded her that the demons were expecting them, so there was no need to sneak around. As Chris pushed the button for the elevator, Bianca appeared out of the shadows.

"So much for a stealthy entrance." Bianca remarked.

"They know we're coming." Chris replied.

"The element of surprise always works in your favor, no matter how small it is." Bianca noted. "We're about to be greeted by an army of demons."

The elevator opened and the three of them stepped inside. Chris hit the button for the penthouse and when the doors closed, Penny realized this was going to be an awkward ride. She reminded herself that her main priority was Theo and getting him out alive. When the elevator arrived at the top floor, Penny and the others braced themselves for a fight, though they were surprised to find an empty hallway.

"No army of demons yet." Chris noted.

"Just stay on your guard." Bianca replied annoyed as she pulled the athame from her boot.

The three witches left the elevator and headed to the door in front of them. Chris flung his hand to open the doors, revealing a luxurious office. Victoria Wahlstrom was sitting at her desk alone, though Penny was sure her demons were lying in wait. The demonic double looked calm and composed, as if she was expecting a business appointment instead of a fight.

"You made it." Victoria said. "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Victoria Wahlstrom."

"We're not here for small talk." Chris replied.

"Where is Theo?" Penny demanded to know.

"He is with your true enemy." Victoria said. "The one you are truly after, Nanta."

"Our true enemy?" Penny asked with a frown. "What does that make you?"

"Sadly, I'm just a pawn in her masterplan." Victoria replied. "She created me, forced me to do horrible things to achieve power."

"Nobody is buying that you're an innocent victim, Victoria." Chris said. "You admitted that you sent the demons after Theo."

"I would never claim to be innocent, though I am a victim in a sense." Victoria said. "Nanta has controlled my entire life. She is powerful and calculating, but I know her better than anyone else. You need my help to take her down."

"She's trying to play us." Bianca said.

"I'm not." Victoria replied. "Right now, Nanta is in a conference room two floors down with Theo and her demons. She'll kill him the moment you enter."

Victoria typed something on her computer and turned it around. Penny saw it was security footage from the conference room, which showed she was telling the truth. Theo was bound and gagged to an office chair and there were dozens of demons surrounding him, including Nanta.

"Alright." Penny said. "What do you suggest?"

"Penny, you can't be serious." Chris argued.

"Look, I don't trust her either." Penny replied. "But right now, she is our best shot at getting Theo out of here alive. We can deal with her later."

"No, she is my mark." Bianca said as she raised her arm to throw the athame. "I'm killing her now."

"Bianca, stop!" Chris called out as he grabbed her arm. "You agreed to work with us for now, which means we do things our way."

Bianca and Chris stared each other down and Penny once again noticed some serious tension between them, which was obviously sexual. If they weren't in a life or death situation, she would tell them to get a room. After a moment, Bianca conceded with a nod and put away her blade.

"Talk fast before I change my mind." Bianca remarked.

xxx


	8. Chapter 8

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 8

Xxx

In the offices of Wahlstrom International, Victoria led Penny and the others through a long hallway. Penny didn't trust the demonic businesswoman, but she seemed to have a grudge against her creator and wanted to be free of her, which made them temporary allies. However, Penny was fully aware of the fact that Victoria would stab them in the back the first chance she got. Bianca seemed to have the same idea, as she was keeping a close eye on Victoria and had her athame ready.

"Where are you taking us?" Chris asked.

"I told you, we need to surprise Nanta." Victoria replied. "During your first visit, the office was protected by a spell that prevents teleportation. The same spell is active now."

"Why wasn't it active when Theo and I were here?" Penny asked.

"Because the spell prevents all forms of teleportation, including Nanta's." Victoria replied. "She controls when the spell is active and when it's not."

"So how do we disable it?" Bianca asked.

"Nanta has her own office here." Victoria said. "The spell is linked to a crystal, which she keeps there. Destroy the crystal and the spell is broken."

"Won't she realize?" Penny asked.

"Not right away, which gives us the element of surprise." Victoria said. "You can teleport Theo out of there before the fighting begins."

"Why are you doing this?" Chris asked suspiciously. "You wanted Theo dead."

"No, not really. I only wanted to hurt John and leave his company vulnerable." Victoria replied. "I don't care about Theo."

"You're part human, how can you be so cruel?" Penny asked.

"Do you think I had a choice?" Victoria snapped at her when she turned to face her. "Nanta only cares about one thing, power. I'm just a means to an end. Any sign of humanity and she would kill me. I'm doing what I need to do to survive."

"Nobody is buying the sob story, Vic." Bianca remarked.

"Whatever." Victoria replied. "After this is done, we'll part ways and I'll leave the demonic world behind me. You'll never hear from me again."

"You tried to have an innocent assassinated." Penny argued. "You're not getting away with that."

"You're feisty." Victoria said with a devious smile as she got uncomfortably close. "I like that."

"I can also kick you ass." Penny replied with a frown.

"Interesting." Victoria said amused as she ran her fingers through Penny's hair. "I wish we'd met under different circumstances."

"Sorry, you're not my type." Penny remarked. "Besides, I'm over the experimental phase."

"Can we just get this over with?" Chris noted as he cleared his throat.

Slightly disappointed, Victoria corrected herself and continued her way down the hall. Bianca suppressed a smirk as she followed and Penny rolled her eyes at her cousin. They headed to door at the end and Victoria opened it with a keycard. The office was small and windowless, with only a single desk and a wall filled with empty video screens. As Penny looked at them, Victoria started going through the desk drawers.

"What is she watching?" Penny asked.

"Everything." Victoria replied. "Do you think I'm her only pawn in this game?"

"She has more demonic doubles out there?" Chris asked. "How many?"

"I have no idea." Victoria replied. "She doesn't want us to know about each other. Ah, found it."

Victoria triumphantly held up a dark red crystal. Bianca grabbed it from her hand and threw it up in the air, throwing an Energy Ball to destroy it. When the crystal shattered, Penny felt a slight change in the air. She looked at Chris and he orbed from one side of the room to the other, to test if the spell had truly been broken.

"That takes care of that problem." Chris noted.

"Now what?" Penny asked.

Before anyone had a chance to react, Bianca turned to Victoria and sucker punched her, knocking the demonic human unconscious.

"What the hell?" Chris called out. "We agreed to do things our way."

"She was getting ready to betray us." Bianca argued. "She played her part. Be glad I didn't kill her right away."

"You're just like her." Chris said angrily. "At least she has the excuse of being a demon. What's yours?"

"I don't need an excuse." Bianca replied. "I see the world for what it really is. I do what must be done. If you did the same, you'd save a lot more innocents."

"You're just vengeful and bitter." Chris said. "I can't believe I ever fell…"

Chris stopped himself and turned away. A suspicious frown appeared on Bianca's face, though she remained silent. Penny decided not to intervene and instead checked on Victoria, who was lying unconscious on the floor. She got why Bianca did it, as she resented Victoria for trying to kill Theo, but she also agreed with her cousin about not punishing the guilty. It was a lesson her mother had passed down after learning it the hard way.

"Guys, can we press pause on this?" Penny asked. "We have to save Theo and deal with Nanta before she figures out what we're planning."

"You're right, let's go." Chris said.

Bianca nodded in agreement and the three of them left the office to confront Nanta. The demon was in a conference room below them with Theo. Penny still had the vanquishing potions in her bag, though they needed to go through at least a dozen demons first.

"Bianca, I need you to create a distraction so I can orb Theo out." Chris said.

"That's too obvious." Bianca replied.

"So what's your idea?" Chris asked annoyed.

"She'll know we'll go straight for Theo, so we need another play." Bianca said. "We need to neutralize the demons first and leave Nanta and Theo for last."

"That will get him killed." Penny argued.

"Not if we're fast enough." Bianca replied.

"What if we enter the same way we left the first time?" Chris suggested.

"Interesting." Bianca said amused. "Are you sure you can orb like that?"

"I think I can manage." Chris replied. "Penny, you head in through the door and draw their attention away from the windows."

"Alright, I'm trusting you with this." Penny said reluctantly and she reached into her bag. "Here are the vanquishing potions. We should each have one ready just in case."

Penny handed a potion to Chris and Bianca before they teleported away. Penny continued her way to the conference room alone, hoping that her cousin knew what he was doing. When she reached the conference room, Penny stopped for a moment to compose herself. Theo's life was in her hands, so she needed to do everything in her power to save him. Arming herself with a faked confidence, Penny kicked open the door and walked inside. Nanta was standing near the window with a gagged Theo tied to a chair, while her demons surrounded them.

"I called you brave before, but now you just seem foolish." Nanta noted. "Do you really think you can defeat my demons on your own?"

"You're a fool for thinking I'm alone." Penny replied.

Penny looked outside and saw a stream of orbs heading to the window, crashing through it loudly. As the orbs assembled into Chris, he was followed by Bianca through a shimmer. Before the demons had a chance to react, Chris flung his arm and threw two demons out of the window, while Bianca impaled a third with her athame, vanquishing him.

"Kill them!" Nanta screamed.

As Nanta took cover, her demons began attacking with fireballs. Penny avoided them by levitating over the table and landed behind a demon. She grabbed his neck and hypnotized him by whispering in his ear. As the demon began attacking his friends on the right, Penny ran left and kicked another demon in the chest before he could throw a fireball.

Across the room, Bianca was fighting three demons in close combat. She managed to stab one in the leg and threw an Energy Ball at another, vanquishing him. However, the third grabbed her and tossed her to the ground. Before he could strike, he was thrown back by Chris. Bianca flipped back up and returned the favor by throwing her athame in Chris's direction, missing him by an inch and impaling the demon behind him. Chris then deviated two fireballs with Telekinesis and vanquished the demons with their own powers.

The demon that Penny had hypnotized was quickly vanquished by another demon, who then threw himself at Penny. She managed to avoid several of his punches and tripped him with a low kick.

"Go to sleep." Penny ordered through hypnosis.

The demon's eyes glazed over and he fell into a slumber. At the same time, Chris vanquished another demon by throwing his fireball back at him, while Bianca finished one off with her athame. With all the demons either vanquished or unconscious, the three witches turned to face Nanta. She summoned her gun and pointed it to Theo's head. Penny looked at him and tried to calm him, but he was obviously scared.

"You're good, but the game is over." Nanta said. "The final move is mine. Stand down or the kid is killed just like his father."

"You have no moves left, Nanta." Penny said. "It's over."

"Oh, it's far from over, dear." Nanta replied. "San Francisco might be a loss, but I can keep going indefinitely. I still have plenty of doubles left and I can always create more."

"What do you hope to achieve?" Chris asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Nanta replied. "I take companies in order to influence the economy. Pull enough strings and the entire thing will collapse. When mortals lose everything they own, it will lead to chaos and despair. They will commit crimes or decide to kill themselves. Either way, evil wins."

"That would never happen." Penny argued.

"Please." Nanta said as she shook her head. "Money is all mortals care about."

"It doesn't matter, we're going to end your game." Chris said determined.

At that moment, the door opened and Victoria entered the room. She glanced around to observe the situation and smirked contently.

"Good, I'm just in time." Victoria said.

"Victoria, I should have known you would betray me." Nanta said. "You showed them how to deactivate the spell."

"I did." Victoria said. "I'm done being under your control and done with your cruel lessons. When you're done, I'll finally be free."

"Do you really think these witches will let you go?" Nanta asked with a laugh. "I had such high hopes for you, but you've proven once again that you're nothing but a disappointment."

"Just burn in hell, you old hag." Victoria snapped at her.

Nanta glared at her creation and turned the gun to shoot her. At that moment, Chris flung his arm and sent the gun flying out of her hand. Bianca then appeared behind Nanta in a shimmer and held her athame to her back. She nodded at Penny, who grabbed the vanquishing potion and threw it at the demon. Nanta screamed as the potion caused her to erupt in flames and be reduced to ashes. When the threat was gone, Penny ran to Theo and removed the gag from his mouth.

"Penny. Thank you!" Theo called out. "Thank you!"

"I'm so glad you're safe." Penny replied.

Penny placed a hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. In that moment, she was overwhelmed by her feelings and passionately kissed him. Theo was caught off guard, though he soon returned the kiss. After a moment, Penny realized this was neither the time nor place and quickly stopped.

"I'm sorry." Penny said.

"Don't be." Theo replied with a smile. "I've wanted to do that ever since meeting you at the club."

"Well, this is all very touching." Victoria remarked.

Penny spun around and saw Victoria standing a few feet away, aiming Nanta's gun at them. She had probably picked it up after it was thrown across the room. Chris and Bianca tried to intervene, but Victoria kept them all at bay with the gun.

"Stand down, Victoria." Penny said.

"I don't think so." Victoria retorted. "Nanta was right about one thing. You're never going to let me go free. And since your powers don't work on me, I have the upper hand."

"Nanta was right about one more thing." Bianca said. "You really are a disappointment."

"What are you talking about?" Victoria snapped at her.

"We knew you would double-cross us." Chris explained. "Which is why I threw the gun in your direction."

"You're now holding the gun that killed John Henson." Bianca continued. "Placing your fingerprints on the gun that killed your biggest rival."

"So what?" Victoria asked. "I can still kill you all and get rid of the gun."

Victoria aimed the gun at Chris and fired, though he raised his hand and stopped the bullet midair. As the bullet dropped to the floor, Penny launched herself at Victoria and grabbed her arm. Victoria struggled, though Penny quickly overpowered her and punched her in the face, knocking her unconscious yet again.

"That's for trying to kill Theo." Penny remarked before turning to her cousin. "When did you plan all of this?"

"When we were waiting to teleport in." Chris said. "Bianca came up with it."

"Only because you wouldn't let me kill her." Bianca added coldly.

"Is this really going to work?" Theo asked. "Can we really frame her for killing my father?"

"I can plant some more evidence to make it stick." Bianca replied. "Besides, I'm pretty sure she has some more skeletons in her closet."

"This way, there won't be any questions and magic won't be exposed." Chris explained. "Your father will get some justice and Victoria will get what she deserves."

"Are you okay with this?" Penny asked.

"I don't know, I guess so." Theo replied. "I need some time to let it all sink in."

"We should get out of here." Bianca said.

"I'll use the vanishing spell to make it look like nothing happened here." Chris said. "It will remove all traces of demonic activity. Penny, you should take Theo home."

"Alright." Penny said.

Bianca walked over and cut Theo free from the chair using her athame. He rubbed his sore wrists before getting up. As he took a few steps, he nearly tripped and Penny caught him. She realized he was completely exhausted, both physically and emotionally. These past two days had been insane and he needed to rest. Penny helped Theo to the elevator while leaving Chris and Bianca behind to clean up the mess.

"Where are we going?" Theo asked.

"The manor." Penny replied.

"Actually, can you just take me home?" Theo asked. "I think I need some alone time."

Penny nodded as they stepped into the elevator. She understood that he needed time to process what happened and mourn his father. It had been a mistake to kiss him. As the elevator closed, Penny hoped that she had not messed things up between them.

xxx


	9. Chapter 9

Legacy 116: Birds of a Phoenix Feather

Part 9

Xxx

Two days after the confrontation with Nanta, Penny was back at work in P3. It was morning and she was alone, working on the books. It was a welcome distraction after everything that happened, though she had hoped for some better news. She had been crunching the numbers all morning and it wasn't looking good. If things continued like this, the club would go broke in two months. Feeling frustrated, Penny got up and grabbed a cup of coffee. As she sat back down, her mind wandered to Theo. She had not talked to him after dropping him off at his apartment. She respected his need for time, but she also wanted to talk to him. Not just to pass on his father's memories, but also to sort out what had happened between them.

Penny turned her attention back to her laptop and saw a news article about Victoria. The demonic businesswoman had been arrested for the murder of her rival John Henson. Bianca had successfully framed her, which meant there was at least some justice done. She clicked the article away and took a sip of her coffee.

"Is this a bad time?" A familiar voice asked.

Penny turned around and saw Theo standing by the stairs of the club. She was both surprised and relieved to see him. She was worried that he wanted nothing to do with her after everything.

"Theo, hi." Penny said. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I know, I'm sorry." Theo said. "I should have kept in touch."

"No, don't apologize." Penny replied. "You've been through a lot. More than anyone should have to deal with."

"Yeah, things have been pretty crazy." Theo said awkwardly. "So did you hear about Victoria?"

"I just read about it." Penny said. "How do you feel about it?"

"Well, I guess she is responsible in a sense." Theo reasoned. "She might not have pulled the trigger, but she did horrible things, including trying to have me killed. She deserves whatever sentence she gets."

"So what brings you here?" Penny asked. "I thought you needed time."

"I did. I mean, I do." Theo said. "But I also kept thinking about us. I wanted to clear the air."

"Before you say anything, let me just say one thing." Penny quickly said. "I shouldn't have kissed you. You were hurting and it wasn't right."

"Don't worry about it." Theo said. "There is this attraction between us, we both feel it. I just can't act on it right now, since my whole life has been turned upside down."

"I can only imagine." Penny said.

"I'm just not sure I can handle the whole magic thing right now." Theo continued. "But I really am grateful for everything you've done, which is why I wanted to give you this."

Theo reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope, which he handed to Penny. When she opened it, she was shocked to see it was a check for a considerable amount of money.

"Oh my God!" Penny called out. "Theo, I can't accept this."

"Of course you can." Theo said with a smile. "This is the check for the party, with a considerable bonus for saving my life."

"I can't take your money." Penny said as she tried to give it back. "Not for that."

"Then consider it an investment in the club." Theo said as he held up his hands. "For now on, I want to book P3 for all future Henson Holdings parties and events."

"Wait, seriously?" Penny asked.

"Yes, seriously." Theo replied. "Penny, please accept it."

"I don't know." Penny said hesitantly. "I mean, I did throw you an amazing party and I could really use the future business."

"Then consider it a simple business agreement." Theo said.

Penny felt conflicted as she looked at the check. It was enough money to solve all the club's problems for the foreseeable future, and having Henson Holdings as a regular client would mean a steady income.

"What does this mean for us?" Penny asked.

"Nothing, this is completely separate from that." Theo said.

"I'm sorry, but I need to know how you feel before I can decide anything." Penny admitted.

"Of course." Theo said as he took her hand. "I think you're amazing, Penny. I definitely have feelings for you, but I can't pursue them right now. I have to deal with my father and the company first. And then there is the magic…"

"I get it." Penny said. "I really like you too, Theo, but I guess this can't work. Too much has happened."

"Maybe someday." Theo said with a faint smile.

"Yeah, maybe." Penny replied.

"So will you accept the check?" Theo asked.

"I'll accept it if you cut the number in half." Penny replied. "P3 is my business and I need to make it work on my own. But I do want Henson Holdings as a regular client."

"Deal." Theo said.

"There is one more thing." Penny said. "When your father died, he passed me some of his memories. I think you need to see them. They're about his feelings for you, and your mother."

"My mom?" Theo asked shocked.

"It might not be easy, but I think you should have the whole truth." Penny said.

"I guess you're right." Theo said after a moment. "Show me."

Penny nodded and she took his hands in her own. She closed her eyes and focuses her thoughts of Theo. She showed him the memory of his mother being killed by a demon in the hotel room. She could sense Theo's pain as he realized the truth, so she moved on to the other memories John had shared. The memories of Theo growing up and how much his father had truly loved him. When it was done, she stepped back and gave Theo a moment. He shook his head and wiped away some tears.

"I should have known it was more than a robbery." Theo said. "At least it now makes sense. And my father…"

"He felt so guilty. He truly loved the both of you, Theo." Penny said.

"I know that now." Theo said. "Thank you for showing me."

Theo hugged Penny and she held him tightly for a moment, as she realized this was goodbye. He needed to move on and come to terms with everything. She was glad that she had been able to pass on the memories, which felt like closure. Perhaps they would run into each other again, but now they needed to go their separate ways.

Xxx

At the Halliwell Manor, Chris was sitting on the couch in the attic with the Book of Shadows. Nanta was gone, but her demonic doubles were still out there, so Chris had created an entry on them. He intended to track them down at some point, but his family had more pressing threats to deal with first. He went to place the book on the pedestal, though his path was blocked by Bianca appearing in a shimmer. She was holding her athame in her hand.

"Bianca." Chris said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"You know why I'm here." Bianca replied. "We still have unfinished business. You cost me a contract, which is a first for me."

"So what? You're coming to kill me?" Chris asked with a frown. "I don't believe you."

"This is exactly what is annoying me." Bianca said. "You pretending to know me, while you don't know anything about me."

"I know." Chris admitted as he walked past her and returned to the book to its rightful place. "I just thought I did."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bianca asked as she turned to him. "You're hiding something."

"Fine, you want to know the truth?" Chris asked annoyed. "We did know each other, in another lifetime, but time travel changed all of that. Now we're just strangers."

"I knew it." Bianca said with a glare. "I hate time travel. So did we hook up or something?"

"Something like that." Chris replied. "But neither of us is the same person in this timeline, so let's just forget about it. There is nothing between us."

"Oh please, I've seen the way you look at me." Bianca said.

Bianca took a step closer until their bodies were nearly touching. Her athame rested on his chest as she stared into his eyes with a smoldering look. Despite her vengeful nature, Chris could not help but feel drawn to her. She was beautiful and dangerous. She smiled at his obvious tension and got even closer to whisper in his ear.

"Don't interfere in my business again, tiger." Bianca said softly. "You can't handle me."

Bianca disappeared through a shimmer and Chris took a deep breath. He hated that he was attracted to her. He just needed to forget about her, erase her from his mind. He already had someone special in his life, someone who was kind and beautiful. Bianca was someone from his past, while Sarah was his future.

Chris disappeared from the attic in a column of orbs and reappeared in front of Sarah's apartment door. He knocked and she opened the door a few moments later.

"Chris." Sarah said relieved. "I was wondering when I would hear from you. How is your cousin's friend? The one who got hurt?"

"He is safe, we stopped the demon that was after him." Chris said. "I'm sorry, I should have called you."

"I'm just glad you're alright." Sarah said. "Come in."

Sarah stepped aside to let Chris into the apartment and closed the door. Chris turned to Sarah and kissed her passionately. Sarah was amazing and they were good together. They had so much in common. There was no reason to think about someone else.

"Wow, what has gotten into you?" Sarah asked with a smile.

"I like you, Sarah." Chris said. "I don't want to keep sneaking around anymore. I want to be together and let people know."

"What about the hospital? Your training?" Sarah asked.

"We'll find a way to make it work." Chris said. "If you want to."

"I do." Sarah said as she kissed him. "All the sneaking around was fun, but I'm ready for something more. Let's just make it official."

Chris smiled and kissed Sarah as they made their way to the couch. As they continued making out, Chris tried to convince himself this wasn't about Bianca. He wanted this, Sarah was the one for him. He just needed to keep reminding himself of that until a certain Phoenix had faded from his mind.

Xxx

In the Underworld, a small twister appeared and formed into Karliah. She had teleported into Nanta's lair, which was filled with candles and modern furniture. The oracle walked around and tried to get a sense of the place. The thing she was looking for was close, as she had foreseen in her crystal ball. She eventually stopped in front of a large stone wall and rolled her eyes.

"Of course." Karliah said annoyed. "How am I going to get through this?"

At that moment, the ground trembled and a pillar of flames appeared next to her. It formed into her master, the blue horned demon, who was wearing an expensive grey suit.

"Master." Karliah said as she took a bow. "What brings you here?"

"Let's say my interest has been piqued." The demon replied. "I smell a business opportunity in these doubles you told me about."

"I'm sorry about John." Karliah said. "I failed you."

"Don't worry, child." The demon replied. "His soul is where it belongs. He only arrived a little sooner than anticipated. Now let's get through this door."

The demon held out his clawed hand and the entire cavern trembled. Cracks started appearing in the wall until it shattered completely. The noise attracted some demonic guards. Karliah stepped back, while her master snapped his finger and caused them all to combust in flames. Her master then entered the secret room and Karliah followed. There was a stone basin in the middle, filled with demonic eggs, and a large screen on the wall.

"Are we after the eggs?" Karliah asked.

"No, these are worthless to me." The demon said. "Find a way to contact the doubles."

As her master patiently studied the eggs, Karliah searched the room for some kind of console or remote. She wondered what her master was planning, though she would never question his judgement. He was ancient and powerful, not to mention incredibly wise.

Karliah eventually found the console and contacted all the demonic doubles across the world. The screen split into several smaller screens and opened a conference call. Several businessmen and women from all over the world answered the call, despite the time differences.

"What is this?" A businessman asked angrily. "Where is Nanta?"

"Your former nanny is vanquished." The demon said. "She got reckless and it lead to her demise. I'm here to offer you a deal, so you won't suffer the same fate."

"Who are you?" The businessman asked.

"I have had countless of names over the years." The demon said. "But you may call me Mephisto."

"Nanta's death is certainly tragic, but it gives us freedom." The businessman said. "What deal could you possibly offer us?"

"I'm a collector of souls." Mephisto said. "You are in a unique position to offer them to me. I shall offer you protection and wealth in exchange for a steady income of souls."

"Forget it, you horned freak." The businessman said. "We're just free from one controlling demon, why should we kneel for you?"

"I despise rudeness." Mephisto noted.

Karliah watched as her master focused his gaze on the businessman and caused him to erupt in flames from thousands of miles away. The other doubles looked horrified as their spokesman was reduced to ashes behind his desk. When it was done, her master turned his attention back to the other screens.

"My offer stands. Think it over carefully." Mephisto said. "My lovely assistant Karliah shall deliver the contracts soon. Consider her your liaison."

The remained businessmen and women nodded nervously and ended the conference call. Karliah was impressed with her master's plan. The demonic doubles had no souls, but their companies controlled the lives of thousands of mortals.

"I'm trusting you with this responsibility, Karliah." Mephisto said. "Guide them and find me good souls. Do not disappoint me."

"I won't, master." Karliah promised. "Thank you for this opportunity."

Her master nodded and disappeared through a stream of flames, causing the room to tremble. Karliah was glad with her new promotion. This wasn't a life she had chosen for herself, but she was determined to make the best of it. She had cared about John, as she had worked with him for years, but it was time to move on. With that thought, she disappeared from the cave in a whirlwind.

Xxx

The End


End file.
